Intertwined
by ILuvSnuffles805
Summary: What if Nessie and Jacob had been forced to flee from the Volturi after all? Would they be able to escape the danger and start a new life together? Or perhaps the fight to keep Nessie safe has only just begun... JxN
1. Prologue

_A/N:_ _I'm sure that some of you guys who are reading this were fans of my other fanfic, "Absolution". Well, after reading "Breaking Dawn" (which I was NOT crazy about, honestly…) I decided I'd start a new fanfic that goes along with the events of the book. But I will probably pick up "Absolution" again in the future… I'm known for reviving old stories… LoL!_

_Just an FYI: This story is what I think would have happened if a fight with the Volturi DID break out and Jacob and Nessie (Sorry, but I hate the name Renesmee!) were forced to run…_

_**Prologue**_

Jacob's massive shoulders rose and fell with his slow, even breaths as he waited anxiously for the first signs of attack. He could feel Nessie's tiny pale fingers clutch even more tightly to the smooth fur of his upper back as the line of vampires before them began to stir slightly. His muscles tensed suddenly as he prepared to run. Any moment now…

Bella had told him to wait until the Volturi were thoroughly distracted, but Jacob knew he would be unable to hold off for that long. He was already doing everything in his power to fight the urge to run. Every cell in his body was aching for him to flee, to leave the danger far behind him, to keep Nessie safe. There was never any doubt in his mind; he would do _anything_ to protect her, even if it meant giving up the ones he loved. Yet a small part of him ached for all that he would leave behind.

His brothers had heard enough to understand that Jacob would not be fighting with them. He would escape with Nessie, and perhaps never return. Sam, Jared, Quil, and Paul thought longingly of the objects of their devotion, safely at home in La Push. Would they ever see them again? Despite this, they were unable to feel any resentment toward Jacob, or even Nessie. They understood the bond that the two shared all too well.

Quil and Embry whimpered softly, knowing their friend would hear them easily. Jacob did not need to read their minds to know what they were trying to say.

_Goodbye, brother_. Sam's quiet thought broke the near-silence in Jacob's head. _Stay strong_.

_Don't worry about us._ Emotion flooded Seth's thoughts. _Just keep her safe. We love you, man._

Even Leah struggled to think straight as her "voice" joined the others. _You'll always be my favorite Alpha._ She paused. _Just don't tell Sam._

Jacob shook his head. Sarcastic as always. He realized with a sudden pang just how much he would miss it. Try as he might, his mind was too clouded with emotion to form any words in reply. He hoped they would understand.

Jacob shot a fleeting glance toward Bella as the Volturi drew closer. He knew she had been developing her shield power. Would she be able to protect the others? Was it possible his family would survive? He had to believe that they would. Bella could do it, if no one else could. The space between the two forces was shrinking by the second. Jacob could already see the deep burgundy of the enemies' cold eyes.

Bella turned her head slightly, her gaze finally meeting his. It was apparent from his stance - he was ready to bring Renesmee to safety, but was she? Could she really let them go so easily? Bella closed her eyes briefly, bracing herself against the loss she was about to suffer. Finally they snapped open, a hard determination now mixed with the deep pain they held. She nodded once.

Jacob bowed his head briefly in return. Then, he was flying. Nessie buried her face in his bushy coat as mile after mile of identical trees raced by. Running with Jacob had always been an exhilarating experience for Nessie, but she would never describe it as _frightening_. Not until now. She could almost imagine the burning pain in his legs as he pushed himself farther, his breathing only slightly labored.

Only once in his entire life had Jacob ever ran with such purpose, such determination. It had been less than six months ago, yet it felt to him like another lifetime. As the miles disappeared beneath him, so too did the others' thoughts in his head. He had left his home, his family, and even his new pack behind him. Leah and Seth were on their own now. They would do fine without him; Jacob could feel it.

_But only if they can survive this…_ Jacob shuddered at the thought. He decided it would be less painful to clear his mind as he ran. Instead he concentrated on the even beating of his now-racing heart and the feeling of the soft earth beneath his feet.

The sky was pitch black when he finally slowed to a walk. Jacob had lost count of the hours he'd been running. He wasn't even entirely sure where he had taken them. But there would be time to worry about that in the morning. The danger was miles and miles behind them. That was all that mattered.

Nessie lifted her face from the crook of her arm, sniffling slightly. She'd been sobbing softly for hours. She slid gracefully off Jacob's back as he came to a halt beneath a large oak tree. He pressed his soft nose against her cheek briefly before disappearing momentarily behind the large trunk. When he emerged, he was in his human form. Jacob wore nothing but a pair of ragged shorts he had attached to his leg before the fight. How they had not fallen off during their journey was a mystery.

Jacob opened his arms wide and Nessie ran to him immediately. He cradled her gently, kissing the top of her head briefly. "Are you okay?" He whispered.

The little girl nodded in reply, her eyelids drooping. She curled against Jacob's chest as he leaned back against the tree, his eyes closed. "Go to sleep, Nessie." He breathed.

She yawned deeply, but forced her eyes open to look once more Jacob's weary face. She raised her right hand to rest it gently against his cheek.

"Yeah…" Jacob murmured, fighting back the tears. His pack, the Cullens, Charlie, Billy, Bella… the faces of those he loved swam briefly before his eyes. "I miss them too."

_A/N:_ _Hope you liked it! MUCH more to come! Please R&R and I promise I'll update!_


	2. Chapter 1

_A/N: Thanks to EVERYONE for those awesome reviews! I really appreciate them!! Just wanted to let everyone know that this story will probably be 8-10 chapters, give or take… I'm not totally sure yet. So it might seem a little bit fast-paced for some of you… Enjoy!_

_**Chapter One**_

_Three years later…_

"Hey Nessie, could you grab that wrench for me?" Jacob's voice was muffled as he called out from beneath the body of the large, beat-up Cadillac.

Nessie dug through the cluttered toolbox uncertainly. "This one?" She asked, handing him the first one she saw. The gesture was met with a stifled snort of amusement.

Shaking his head, Jacob pulled himself from beneath the vehicle, a slight smile on his lips. "I think this one's just a _little_ too small, Ness." He handed it back to her. "I thought you'd start picking up on some of this stuff eventually…"

"Well excuse me for my lack of enthusiasm, but we can't all be _obsessed _with fixing up crappy cars, Jake." Nessie crossed her arms angrily, but the look in her eyes told him that she was joking.

"Don't worry," Jake grinned as he leapt to his feet, stretching widely. "Once I'm through with you, you'll be better at this stuff than _me_."

The girl gagged loudly at the thought. She extended one long pale arm towards Jacob, who helped her to her feet.

Jacob gazed at Nessie thoughtfully for a moment, his black eyebrows pulling together. It was so strange to see her standing there before him, barely a foot shorter than he was. Could it really have been less than four years since he first held her in his arms? So much had changed since then…

He could still remember that first night they had spent sleeping beneath the trees just outside of Sequoia National Park. While Nessie lay asleep beside him, he had opened her backpack to find Bella's instructions tucked in with the forged travel documents and letters to her family. The tenderness of her words had touched him deeply, yet they made the pain of her loss all too real. He couldn't even count the number of times he'd been forced to say goodbye to his best friend in the past. But this time there was no doubt in his mind – he'd seen Bella for the last time.

After mailing the letters to Charlie and Renee from a post office in Fresno, he and Nessie had headed straight for the airport. They were in the air within hours, headed toward Rio. The whole time Jacob couldn't help but wonder why of _all_ the places in the world, Bella had to send him to _Brazil_? Couldn't she have sent them to a place where they spoke English? That and Quileute were the only two languages he could speak, and he doubted either would be of much use to him in Rio. _Leave it to Bella to make this even _harder_ for me._ He had thought miserably.

Luckily for him, Jacob and Vanessa Wolfe had a fairly easy time adjusting to life in their new home. They were able to find a small house in the Tijuca district in the north of the city. They were nestled right near the edge of the rainforest, which made hunting fairly easy, and were close enough to the tourist areas that it was unlikely anyone would get suspicious; No one ever stuck around long enough for that.

Bella had left them with so much money that Jacob didn't have to worry about finding a job and leaving Nessie at home alone. No one living in the area was very surprised that he ventured into public so rarely – after all, Mr. Wolfe's stepdaughter was very ill and needed constant attention.

After a couple years of putting up with the charade, Nessie finally looked old enough to pose as a young woman hired to help care for Mr. Wolfe's ailing daughter. Her aging had slowed enough that she was able to attend some classes at a nearby university during the day while Jacob started a small business fixing up old cars for locals. He didn't make much for his efforts, but money was the least of his concerns. At least it was something to do.

"Jake?" Nessie's concerned whisper brought him back to the present. "Jacob, are you alright?"

"Yeah." He smiled softly to himself. "I was just thinking about how much everything has changed since..." He paused. The sentence hung in the air, unfinished. Nessie had a hard time discussing anything that would remind her of the day she lost her family.

She took a deep breath and nodded slowly in reply. "I know what you mean… I've been thinking a lot about that too…" Her chocolate brown eyes met his and held him there, rooted to the spot. Neither spoke for several moments.

The way she stared at him was so strange. Her eyes sparkled with some emotion he'd never seen in them before. Not until now. Jacob never thought he would meet anyone more beautiful than Bella, not in his wildest dreams. But Nessie was too stunning, too _perfect_ for anyone to ever dream of. The way she looked at him in that moment was proof.

Very slowly she lifted her right hand to press it gently against Jacob's warm cheek. He closed his eyes at her touch, letting the images she sent him flood his mind. He was used to the types of things she liked to show him by now – some exotic animal she had discovered, a tourist's ridiculous outfit, the face of a new classmate – all very trivial and amusing. It was not often that Jacob was given the chance to see _himself_ through Nessie's eyes. He couldn't even remember the last time she had shown these sorts of images to him, but he was certain it had been nothing like this.

The smooth contours of his arms and chest as he worked so skillfully in his garage... The little crinkles in the corners of his eyes whenever he smiled… The distinctly canine way he always shook wet hair out of his face… The worry in his eyes every time she was hurt or angry or afraid... Every insignificant detail - each look, each smile, each movement – was suddenly so different when he saw them through her eyes. It was so much more than mere admiration… It was almost a _longing_.

He opened his eyes slowly to find that her dark, piercing gaze had never left his face. She watched him expectantly, as if she were waiting for him to say something.

But he merely continued to stare back at her, his eyes full of uncertainty, as the seconds ticked by.

_A/N:_ _Yes, that was a terrible place for me to end this chapter, and I know it… but it would have ended up being TOO long if I kept going and too short if I cut it off sooner. Plus, it's kind of cliffhanger-ish, dontcha think? Please R&R! _


	3. Chapter 2

_A/N:_ _Hi everyone! Just thought I'd give you all a heads-up: I am a big fan of sappy romances… but the good news for those of you who are NOT is that there is MUCH more to this story than sappy romance (which will be coming along VERY quickly… like I said, this is going to be pretty fast-moving). But this chapter and several more to come will feature some really sappy stuff… you've been warned. _

_**Chapter Two**_

Jacob frantically began to weigh his options as he stood there, still staring into Nessie's eyes. He'd always known that this day would come, but he'd never really given much thought about how he would react when it did. There was so much he _wanted_ to do in that moment, so much he was dying to say. But he simply couldn't. His own desires meant nothing; all that mattered was what Nessie needed - what would make her happy and keep her safe. He took a step backward, shaking his head sadly.

"Ness…" He began, trying to choose his words carefully. "We can't."

The girl's eyes widened, but she tried her best to stay calm. It was a moment before she could speak. "Oh." She said simply. "Right… I understand." Nessie stared at her feet, the sting of tears prickling the corners of her eyes.

No one had ever explained to her about imprinting. She'd heard her mother use the word, long ago, but she had little understanding of what it all meant. Yet she had always felt a powerful connection to Jacob from the moment she was born. Lately that bond had been stronger than ever; she could barely stand being away from him, even for a few short hours. It was like there was some sort of cosmic force, pulling them together. She'd always assumed he felt the same way… Now she knew she had been mistaken.

Jacob saw the hurt in her eyes and immediately understood what his words must have meant to her. "No, it's not that!" He shook his head frantically. "It's just… well, uh…" His eyes were cast downward toward the cement floor.

"What's wrong?" She whispered.

Jacob closed his eyes. "Nessie," He breathed. "You're three." He did not open them, awaiting her reaction.

To his surprise, her bright ringing laughter filled the air in reply. Despite the gravity of the situation, he couldn't help but crack a smile at the sweet, familiar sound.

"No," Nessie protested when she was finally able to catch her breath. Her face was suddenly serious. "I'm three and a _half_." She immediately burst into another peal of laughter as relief washed over her. This whole thing had been about her _age_?

The time, Jacob was unable to smile. "Nessie, I'm serious." He muttered.

Her laughter quickly died away and she eyed him critically for a moment. "Jacob, do I _sound_ like I'm three to you?" She raised an eyebrow at him.

"No…" He answered carefully.

"And do I _look_ like I'm three?"

Jacob almost laughed that time. "Of course not."

Nessie threw her arms in the air, exasperated. It was very rare for her to lose patience with Jacob, but she couldn't help it. "Then what's the problem, Jake? You're worrying way too much about this whole thing!"

He sighed heavily. _Nice going, Jacob…_ he thought to himself. It killed him to see her so upset."The problem is that you're three…" The girl's eyes narrowed. "And a half." He added hastily. "And, well… I'll be twenty in a couple of weeks."

Nessie slapped her palm to her forehead. "Ooh! Thanks for reminding me! I still need to get you a present!"

"Ness…"

Her face fell when she realized Jacob was not appreciating her attempt at humor. He was being completely serious… and with Jacob, _nothing_ ever was.

"Jacob," Nessie said finally, reaching her hand toward his. He took it without a thought, intertwining his fingers with hers. "Please, just hear me out."She took a deep breath.

"Jake, you know just as well as I do that how "old" I am has nothing to do with the year I was born. How old do the teachers at school think I am? Seventeen? Eighteen? Either way it doesn't matter. I could look like I'm twelve and I wouldn't care! All that matters is how I feel about you… I know what I want, Jacob." Nessie paused a moment. "And I want to have it before it's too late." She eyed him meaningfully as she spoke.

He understood exactly what she was thinking "No, no! You don't get it!" Jacob's hands shifted so he now held both of hers in his. There was a strange excitement in his eyes as he spoke – almost desperation.

"I've been thinking about this a lot, ever since the day you were born. I think that your DNA and my DNA are kinda the same. Carlisle tried to explain it to me once… it's got something to with chromosomes. Anyway, I think that's why we're both so warm, and why our futures are so hard to keep track of… And when this whole wolf thing first started, I grew _so_ fast, Nessie - maybe even faster than you. But then it just stopped. And I'm stuck like this… _forever._" He paused, waiting for her to speak, but was met with silence. "See, I'm pretty sure someday you'll stop too… really soon, I think." A hopeful grin flashed across his face, but Nessie's expression did not change.

"What are you getting at, Jake?"

"We have _time._ All the time in the world! We can wait a few more years and see what happens." Jacob's smile faded slightly. "You should wait until you have enough time to _think_ about this. I'm not your only option, Ness. There are plenty of other guys out there you haven't seen yet…"

Nessie's gaze hardened. "How could you even say that? Do you really think I could _ever_ see anyone else but you? I want you to look me in the eyes, Jacob. Look me in the eyes right now and tell me that you don't feel the same way about me."She stood in silence, waiting for his reply.

Jacob took a deep breath, staring down at the one person in the world he could never lie to. "You know I do." He whispered.

"And that's all that matters." Nessie replied. "I love you."

He did not speak, but lifted his hands to cradle her face between them. Nessie sighed softly at his touch. With just the slightest hesitation, Jacob lowered his head and very gently touched his lips to hers. Nothing in his entire life had ever felt so perfect, so _right._ He marveled at how wonderfully warm and soft her mouth was as it moved slowly against his.Nessie molded herself to him, crushing herself even more tightly against the warmth of Jacob's bare chest. After several too-short moments, he pulled away, a small smile on his lips.

"Okay, okay…" He rolled his eyes dramatically. "I guess you win this one."

Nessie grinned evilly. "I always do." She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled her face toward his once more.

_A/N: JACOB IS NOT A PEDOPHILE! I repeat: JACOB IS NOT A PEDOPHILE!_ _If you want a pedophile, look at Carlisle. He's like 250 years older than Esme. Ewwwwww. Hahahahaha! The REAL plot starts in the next chapter! Don't forget to R&R!_


	4. Chapter 3

_A/N: Hi again! So I'm really frustrated right now because I have the ENTIRE plot planned out in my head, but it'll be a while before I get to write-out the scenes I'm really looking forward to! Thankfully, this chapter is what gets us moving toward the real plot of the story. I really wanted to end this chapter on a cliff-hanger sorta thingy, which is why it's shorter than the other chapters… I could have kept going a little, but I decided to leave everyone in anticipation. Hahahaha._

_**Chapter Three**_

The cool night air blew softly through the open bedroom window, washing over Jacob's sleeping face. His eyes snapped open as it hit him and he gasped sharply, forgetting, for a moment, where he was.

Ever since his relationship with Nessie had taken its sudden turn, Jacob was happier than he had ever been in his entire life. But though his days had been pure bliss, his nights had been unbearable. Night after night he had been plagued by the same terrible dream that had once haunted him in the weeks after they'd arrived to their new home.

The nightmare was almost exactly the same: _He and Nessie walk, hand-in-hand, toward the center of the city – a place they had ventured to only a handful of times since their arrival to Brazil. His hand tightens around hers as the crowd around them begins to grow, the unfamiliar, faceless bodies pressing closer and closer together. With a start, he stares down in horror at his empty palm – somehow, Nessie's hand has been ripped away from his grasp. He cries her name, running now, shoving through the mass of people, but she is nowhere to be found. Finally, up ahead, he sees a break in the crowd. He pushes through only to emerge on the other side alone, facing a slender girl with dark brown hair. She is not the cold, immortal Bella he had left behind in Forks, but his warm, breakable, human best friend. Her eyes well up with tears as she grabs his broad shoulders, shaking him. "You promised to keep her safe! You promised!"_

Every night, like clockwork, he would awake with a start at the sound of Bella's painful accusation. That night had been no different – except for the sharp, unpleasantly familiar smell that blew in through the open window. He realized in an instant that this time it had been the scent which had woken him. Jacob shot upright into a sitting position, his entire body shaking. _Not here! Not here!_ A shudder rippled through his body and he could feel the thin bed sheets ripping between his clenched fists. He had all but forgotten about the girl who lay sleeping at his side.

Nessie's eyes fluttered open. "Jake?" She sat up, stroking his bare shoulder gently. His trembling lessened slightly at her touch. "What's going on?" Jacob's sense of smell was much more developed than hers, but even she could detect something out of the ordinary in the air. She eyed his stony expression warily as the shaking continued.

"Vampire." Jacob muttered, closing his eyes briefly as he fought to regain control. "More than one." He turned to face Nessie, his gaze meeting hers. "Close."

He leapt from the bed abruptly, but Nessie grabbed his arm, pulling him toward her. "Wait!" She cried, dragging him back into a sitting position. "I'm not letting you go out there alone… I'll come with you."

"No…" Jacob corrected her, pulling her hand away from his wrist. "You'll stay right here until I get back." He touched his lips to her palm briefly.

"But I –"

"_Please._" Jacob leaned forward and kissed her gently for a moment before leaping from the bed a second time. Nessie watched helplessly as he climbed easily out the open window and followed the scent into the darkness of the jungle. Within moments he was running on four legs, his powerful paws propelling him forward.

As he ran, he let his mind focus on the sickly sweet scent which would lead him to the bloodsucker. It seemed to be coming from several directions. His instinct had been correct – clearly the leech was not alone. Jacob tried not to let that fact bother him as he continued to push himself forward. He could tell that at least one of them was nearby – only a few miles from the house. The smell grew stronger as the distance between them melted away.

He broke through the trees and into a large clearing. The creature stood many yards away, concealed in the shadows of the tall jungle canopy. A deafening growl ripped through his chest as Jacob tensed his muscles, preparing for the attack. But he stopped dead when a high, trilling voice reached his ears.

"Jacob Black." There was an obvious relief in the sweet tones. "Believe it or not, I've missed you."

The speaker stepped forward into a shaft of moonlight which glowed faintly against the pale white skin. _This can't be real…_ Jacob told himself firmly. _I must be dreaming… _He could almost feel his heart skip a beat as he stared into the sparkling golden eyes of Alice Cullen.

_A/N: So I after re-reading it, I realize that this chapter wasn't the best thing I've ever written… but I just want to get this story moving! So I didn't take as much time to edit it as I usual do… forgive the somewhat crappy-ness. I promise the next chapter will be better! Please R&R!_


	5. Chapter 4

_A/N: Hello again! I know that a lot of people don't read Author's Notes, but I always write them, just in case anyone DOES! So there is a bit of a twist coming up in this chapter… I'm sure a lot of you will have seen it coming! And then there's another big "twist"-type thing coming VERY soon as well… maybe at the end of this chapter, I'm not too sure! (I always write these notes BEFORE I start writing the chapter, so sometimes things don't come out as planned!) And I'm sorry my chapters are always so short, but for some reason, I really like short chapters… lol! But… this chapter's the longest one so far… so yay!_

_**Chapter Four**_

Jacob remained where he stood, shaking his head back and forth in disbelief. Forgetting his current state, he opened his mouth and tried to speak, but all that came out was a strangled yelp. _Damn…_

Alice laughed softly. "I'm not going anywhere." She told him with a smile. "I think this will be a whole lot easier if we're able to have an actual conversation."

He nodded his large head at her briefly. She was right. With one last glance in her direction, he raced back through the forest toward the house. He had left his clothes at the edge of the trees where their extensive backyard merged with the jungle. If it were anyone else, it wouldn't have mattered… But this was a female bloodsucker he barely even knew. How could he face her without any clothing? Damning his own modesty, he broke through the trees and slowed to a walk, keeping his heavy footfalls as silent as possible; there was no need to alert Nessie yet. First he needed to figure out what was going on.

Jacob held the wrinkled sweatpants very carefully between his teeth and headed back the way he had come at full speed. Once he was at a safe distance, he phased back easily and walked the rest of the way to the clearing. As promised, Alice was still there, motionless in the moonlight. Had she moved at all since he had left?

He closed the distance between them, coming to a halt a few feet away. "Alice… is that really you?" His whisper was soft and uncertain.

She grinned widely, nodding. "In the flesh."

Hesitantly, she held out one tiny white hand. Jacob found himself reaching for it with an eagerness that surprised even himself. Her hand was entirely lost in his as he squeezed it briefly. The physical contact was foreign and somewhat awkward for both of them, but it was a feeling Jacob welcomed. _Great…_ He thought to himself with a smile. _Feeling sentimental for a bloodsucker…_

He took a deep breath as he released her hand. "It's… nice to see you." He said finally. "But I'm not gonna lie… I wasn't exactly expecting this...why are you here? How did you find us?" His furrowed his brow. "And where have you been all this time?"

Alice paused, uncertain. "Well… that's a pretty long story."

Jacob crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow at her. "I've got time." He noticed her eyes shift toward the gently swaying trees which surrounded them. He followed her gaze, smelling the air briefly. His eyes returned to hers, full of confusion. "You're not alone."

"No…" She answered carefully. "Jasper's with me, of course."

His eyes hardened. "You know what I mean, Alice… what's going on?"

Alice sighed, defeated. "Like I said, the whole thing's kind of a long story…" He glared at her, so she continued. "But I suppose the short version is, well… The fight with the Volturi wasn't as bad as they thought it'd be." She paused, waiting for his reaction. Jacob stood perfectly still, his eyes never leaving hers. He said nothing. "We didn't want to shock you like this… that's why we didn't come together…"

Jacob could tell she was trying to beat around the bush. "Alice, what are you saying?" He demanded.

"What I'm saying… is that we're here." She eyed him meaningfully. "_All of us._"

Again, Jacob did not speak. He closed his eyes, fighting back his sudden wave of emotion. _She's alive! She's alive! She's alive! _How long had he dreamt of this? How could it possibly be real? Maybe he still lay in bed beside Nessie, lost in yet another of his cruel nightmares. His eyes remained shut as he tried to convince himself he was truly awake.

"They're… on their way." Alice said finally. "We spread out so our scent wouldn't be too concentrated. We didn't want you to think it was an attack. They should be here any second."

As if on cue, Jacob detected a slight rustling to his left. His eyes snapped open and he glanced expectantly toward the source of the sound. Jasper stepped into the moonlight, heading immediately for Alice's side. Jacob marveled as he watched Jasper move across the clearing. For the longest time, Jacob was certain that no one on Earth could move as fluidly or gracefully as Nessie did. He had forgotten what it was like to be around the Cullens.

Jasper nodded briefly toward Jacob, smiling gently. "How are you, Jacob?" He asked kindly.

Jacob tried to smile in reply but did not answer. Of course Jasper would know exactly what he was feeling – confusion, impatience, disbelief, joy… He felt himself begin to relax slightly and he knew exactly why. Torn between relief and annoyance, he said nothing to Jasper and instead watched the trees, waiting anxiously for the others to arrive.

The three of them were not alone for very long. Carlisle and Esme arrived together soon after, followed closely by Rosalie and Emmett. With one exception, they seemed very pleased to see him. Carlisle had clapped Jacob briefly on the shoulder and, to his surprise, Esme gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. "I know this must be strange for you," she whispered, sympathetic. "But we're so glad to see you again."

"You too." Jacob replied weakly.

They stood in uncomfortable silence after that, waiting for the final two members of their party to arrive. The distant sounds of their approach finally reached Jacob's sensitive ears. He held his breath as he stared into the trees, waiting. The thudding of his heart seemed to echo in the night and, for a moment, he was grateful that the six vampires surrounding him were repulsed by his scent; it must have sounded particularly appetizing to them.

Finally two pale figures came into view at the edge of the forest, walking hand-in-hand. Jacob's breath came in a sharp gasp as a pair of shimmering ocher eyes found his. They were the only part of her that had changed. It was so different to look at them now – their sparkling golden glow made it easier to see the human soul that lay behind the perfect, unbreakable shell. The soul of his dearest friend in the world – of the girl he once loved.

"Jacob." A gentle whisper broke the silence.

Bella pulled away from Edward instantly, running at full speed into Jacob's waiting arms. He pulled her close to him, ignoring the stinging in his nose and the uncomfortable chill against his skin. How long had it been since he'd held her like this? He realized with a jolt that it had been the night of her wedding. So much had changed since then, for both of them… but the emotions which filled him in that instant were exactly the same. He no longer loved her in the same way he once had, but the new love he felt for her now was just as strong as it had ever been.

Bella pulled back slightly and stood on tiptoe to kiss his face. How had she ever managed to survive without her best friend? Being near him again made her realize just how much she needed him in her life. "Jacob, Jacob, Jacob…" She whispered his name again and again, hugging herself to him once more.

Jacob laughed softly, pressing his lips against her hair. "Don't wear it out, Bells…" He grinned down at her, realizing for the first time that there were tears in his eyes. He wiped them away quickly, embarrassed.

"It's okay." Bella whispered. "If I were able to, I'd be a total mess right now, Jake." She pulled away from him gently, but stayed very close to him.

Edward stepped forward to stand near Bella's side. Without any hesitation, he approached Jacob and hugged him tightly. The gesture was surprising, but Jacob did not pull away. It was his own relief and joy that surprised him most of all. He had missed Edward much more than he was willing to admit.

Edward chuckled as he heard the thought run through Jacob's mind. "I missed you too… We all did."

Jacob could have sworn he heard Rosalie clear her throat, but someone shushed her before he could be sure. He rolled his eyes anyway. Everyone was silent for a moment. "So…" He began slowly. "I guess I'm not really the one you're all here to see…"

Everyone's eyes turned instantly toward Bella, who took a deep breath. "Yes…" She nodded, grasping Edward's hand firmly. "We'd like to see our daughter."

_A/N: So I'm sure some of you guys totally saw that coming… Stay tuned for the next chapter… the Cullens will fill us in on everything and there's ONE more twist-ish thing coming up!(Again, I'm not totally pleased with the quality of my writing in that chapter, but I'm just too anxious to post the story to spend an adequate amount of time editing!) Please R&R!_


	6. Chapter 5

_A/N: I'm glad people are enjoying this story so far! It's going to end up being quite a bit longer than I'd originally intended… which will probably please some people! And (in advance) I apologize that you don't get the whole sappy reunion with Nessie… but I already did that with Jake in the last chapter. Basically imagine that reunion, only times 10 lol._

_**Chapter Five**_

Jacob was still in total disbelief as he led the Cullens through the thick trees and back toward the house. He spent the journey trying to figure out how he would break the news to Nessie. How would she react to the sudden reappearance of her family? Would it be too overwhelming for her to handle? He could feel his anxiousness building with each step he took. Finally the jungle around them began to thin and the dim outline of his home became visible in the moonlight.

"Let's go around front." He suggested. No one spoke as they continued on, their anticipation almost tangible. They finally came to a halt at the bottom of the porch steps. The automatic lights sensed their approach and flashed to life, bathing the group in an artificial glow. Jacob turned to face them. "I think you should wait here." He said uncertainly. "I want a chance to get her ready for this first…"

Edward nodded in understanding, but Bella fidgeted slightly at his side, impatient. He squeezed her hand briefly. "Just a few more moments…" He muttered as Jacob disappeared into the house.

Jacob crept slowly through the dark entryway, taking care to make as little noise as possible. He continued past the kitchen and into the spacious living room. The door to his right stood ajar, a sliver of dim lamplight cast upon the floor. He was about to call out for Nessie when the door was suddenly wrenched open the rest of the way and a tall, pale figure emerged, throwing herself toward him.

"Jake!" Nessie cried, burying her face in his warm chest. "What took you so long? I was about to go out there and look for you myself!"She pulled back to stroke his face gently. "Is everything alright?"

"It's fine." Jacob grinned widely at her, running a large hand through her hair briefly. "More than fine, actually…" He chuckled softly.

"What's going on?" She eyed him uncertainly for a moment, then finally noticed the strange, familiar scent in the air. Her eyes widened and her mouth hung open. "Jacob are you _insane_? You led them right to our house!"

He shook his head slowly. "No, it's not what you think, trust me." He took her hand, leading her toward the front door. "We have… some visitors."

"Visitors?" Nessie repeated, raising an eyebrow at him.

Jacob released her hand. "See for yourself." He nodded toward the doorknob.

She hesitated a moment, then sighed in defeat, her curiosity winning over her apprehension. With one last confused glance at Jacob, Nessie stepped forward and opened the door. She paused in the doorway, alarmed by the sudden burst of light, to examine the faces of the eight beautiful people who stood below her.

Bella's breath left her lips in a sharp gasp as the heavy wooden door creaked open. She stopped breathing entirely as the silhouetted figure came into view. The girl was very tall, probably less than a foot shorter than Jacob. Her slender frame and impressive height reminded Bella vaguely of her old friend, Angela Weber. The eyes which stared down at her began to well with tears after a few moments. They were the same deep brown eyes Bella had seen staring out at her from the mirror every day of her human life. The rest of the face was even more like Edward's than she remembered. They could have easily passed for twin siblings, rather than father and child. The beautiful dark bronze color of her ringlets added to the illusion. They fell gracefully around her gorgeous face, only slightly tousled from sleeping.

Bella's lips parted and a strange weight seemed to pull at her chest as she stared at the breathtaking face of her daughter.

"Renesmee…"

XXXXXXX

The sounds of Nessie's reunion with her family carried easily through the front door and to the living room where Jacob sat, waiting. He did not want to intrude on their private moment together, yet a small part of him ached to be at Nessie's side. He drummed his fingers impatiently on the arm of the couch, his eyes flicking periodically toward the small clock which sat on the mantle. The seconds ticked by at an agonizingly slow pace until, finally, he heard the slight creaking of an opening door.

"Jake?" Nessie called as she and the rest of the Cullens rounded the corner and entered the living room. Edward and Bella stood on either side of her – Bella with one of her daughter's hands tightly in hers and Edward with his arm draped over Nessie's thin shoulders. The others followed behind, the joy of the reunion apparent on each face.

Jacob had never seen the living room so crowded. The house had more than enough room for Nessie and himself, but it was certainly not made to hold ten people. Jacob stood, offering Edward, Bella, and Nessie the empty seats on the couch. Bella began to protest when she saw the obvious fatigue on Jacob's face, but finally took a seat at his insistence. Jacob couldn't help but feel guilty that the rest of the Cullens were forced to stand. He knew they did not need to sit or rest as humans did, but they were still his guests.

"Sorry." He muttered to the others apologetically.

Emmett grinned widely at him. "I think we'll manage."

"You have a lovely home, Jacob." Esme said sweetly.

"Thanks." He replied, sinking to the floor in front of Nessie. He leaned his head back against her legs, closing his eyes. He and Nessie often raced each other when they went hunting together, but it was never anything as intense as it had been that night. He had never been forced to run so hard or fast in more than three years. The emotional and physical exhaustion was overwhelming for him.

Edward and Bella still held tightly to their daughter, but she was able to reach out her free hand to run her long fingers through Jacob's shaggy black hair and stroke his face gently. He sighed softly and her touch and leaned his head further back into her lap, forgetting their audience entirely. The gesture was far from platonic. Nessie's hand froze and Jacob's eyes snapped open at the sound of a low hiss to their left.

Edward's jaw clenched and unclenched several times and his hands balled into tight fists at his sides. His eyes darted toward the open door beside him. He could see the bed which lay against the far wall, facing him. The covers were thrown back and lay crumpled near the foot of the bed, but his eyes could clearly detect the impressions in the mattress where its occupants had once laid. Two indentations. Two bodies… Edward closed his eyes, breathing deeply. _How could it have happened so soon?_

The other Cullens' eyes followed Edward's, peering through the open bedroom door. The looks on their faces ranged from amusement to confusion to disgust. Jacob's eyes immediately shot toward Bella's face, fearing the worst. Yet she alone remained calm. There was only a brief flicker of emotion there. Sadness? Guilt? Regret? The strange sorrow in her eyes was gone before Jacob could give it a name. She released her daughter's hand and reached over to rub her husband's shoulder soothingly. He seemed to relax slightly beneath her touch and unclenched his fists.

Nessie bit her lip, glancing nervously toward Jacob. She did not remove her hand from his face and he lifted his palm to hold it there. There was total silence for several endless moments.

It was Bella who finally spoke. She cleared her throat softly. "So…" She began as casually as she could manage. "I'm sure you're both wondering why we're all here."

_A/N: Hmmm… there are some mixed reactions from the Cullens! Have Nessie and Jacob had sex yet? I don't know… that's up to you! But even though I didn't write it, Emmett was TOTALLY thinking some lame joke about "burning the house down" or something along those lines (because of their body temperatures… get it? Hahaha). I swear, he has the mind of a twelve year old boy! So I'm REALLY excited for the next chapter because it's the last chapter of set-up before the part of the story that I REALLY want to write begins! Yayyyy! (And yes, the weird sadness in Bella's eyes is somewhat significant… I'll let you know in an Author's Note what it was all about if I don't get a chance to write it in) Please R&R!_


	7. Chapter 6

_A/N: Hi again! So I've been updating REALLY frequently lately, I know… but that's because there are parts of the story I'm really itching to write and (after this chapter) I will be able to start! Yayyyy! In case people were wondering the exact reactions of the Cullens to the relationship (since I had no real opportunity to write it), Esme and Carlisle were kind of like "Oh… wow. Okay.", Alice immediately started thinking of what style of wedding dress would look good on Nessie, Emmett thought the whole thing was hysterical, Jasper was kind of a mixture of total confusion and mild disgust, and Rosalie was about ready to vomit (if she were able to). I'm sure you guys could have probably guessed on your own though. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_**Chapter Six**_

Jacob breathed a sigh of relief. Bella's words had managed to lift some of the tension in the air. Rosalie and Edward were the only ones whose icy expressions remained completely unchanged. Nessie shifted to rest her opposite hand on Jacob's face and reached with the other for her father's hand, squeezing it gently. Her expression was both apologetic and pleading and Edward's eyes finally softened as they met hers.

Nessie smiled, relieved, and resumed stroking Jacob's soft hair. She turned toward her mother, nodding. "Mom, it's … _amazing_ to see you again, all of you…" She beamed at the faces of her family, some of the tears from their earlier reunion threatening to return. She blinked a few times before continuing. "I can't tell you how many times I've dreamed of this… both of us did." Nessie smiled warmly down at Jacob for a moment.

"But this was definitely a surprise - I mean, we were sure we'd never see any of you again… So yes, we'd love to know what happened… and why you waited all this time to find us." Her smile faltered slightly. They had been _alive_, all this time, and yet never once had they tried to contact her. Why let her and Jacob suffer for so long?

Edward shook his head sadly as he heard the thought in Nessie's mind. "We can explain, I promise." He assured her. His eyes met Bella's for a moment and he nodded for her to begin.

Bella took a deep breath faced her daughter, her eyes occasionally flickering down towards Jacob's as she spoke. "Well, they began the attack just seconds after you started running; before you even hit the trees, Aro gave the signal. They tried using their powers to weaken us, at first…"

"But your mother wouldn't let them." Edward added proudly. "They couldn't touch us." Nessie smiled at Bella in admiration.

She shook her head. "No… they _could_ touch us… and they did. Once they realized their mental attacks useless, they went the more… _traditional_ route." Bella shuddered slightly.

"How bad?"Jacob finally spoke, his eyes full of concern.

"Better than any of us had anticipated, actually." It was Carlisle who spoke this time. "I know what they're capable of, Jacob. I was prepared to die that day." He sighed heavily. "I expected worse. _Much _worse."

Jacob's anxiety lessened slightly. "Well… How'd _we_ do?"

"Only Demetri." Edward replied, sounding disappointed. "But he was the one we were after… he posed the biggest threat to both of you." He smiled slightly at his brother. "Emmett and I took care of him."

Emmett chuckled in reply. "It was fun." He began to laugh again, louder this time, but was cut off by a harsh look from Rosalie. "Sorry." He muttered. "Anyway, it was actually going pretty well… we almost got Felix too, but…" His voice trailed off suddenly and his usual grin vanished. All of the Cullens went silent, looking uncertain.

Jacob's relief that the tracker had been killed was immediately overshadowed by a sinking feeling in his stomach. "What is it?" He demanded suddenly. "What happened?"

"Stay calm, Jake." Bella leaned toward him, touching his arm gently. "It's not as bad as it sounds, but… Well, Seth was helping Edward with Felix while Emmett was finishing up with Demetri…"

"You would have been really proud of him, Jacob." Edward smiled weakly. "He got Felix in the perfect position for me to finish him off, but…" He hesitated a moment. "Felix bit him." He closed his eyes, fearing Jacob's reaction.

"What?!" Jacob cried, refusing to believe what he'd just heard. Vampire venom was extremely lethal to the wolves; the moment it reached their hearts, there was no hope.

"Is he okay?!" Nessie demanded.

"He's fine." Edward assured them.

Carlisle took a step forward. "The moment I saw it happen, I knew I had to act quickly. Seth was strong enough to run toward the trees, and I followed, of course. He phased back into a human, to make it easier for me, I suppose. I didn't even pause to think… and I'm glad I didn't, or I may have been too late. I managed to get the venom out before it had spread too far, but it had already done some damage…"

Jacob's eyes narrowed. "What _kind_ of damage?"

"His leg was already injured when he was bitten." Carlisle explained. "And the venom… prevented it from healing properly."

Bella saw the panic in Jacob's eyes and cut in, trying to reassure him. "He can still walk and run, and all the things he used to do… it's just harder for him now." She sighed. "He hates not being as fast as he used to be…"

Jacob closed his eyes sadly_._ Seth was such a good kid… what had he ever done to deserve something like that?

"But Seth's injury brought other complications too." Edward brought the conversation back to the original point. "The Volturi saw it as a perfect opportunity to take out Seth _and_ Carlisle at the same time… two birds with one stone."

"So the rest of us had to pull back, toward the edge of the trees, to protect them while Carlisle was working on Seth." Bella told them. "It really limited us… with most of us clustered together like that, we were easy targets." There was a strange sadness in her voice as she spoke.

Nessie understood immediately. "Who?" She whispered.

"Maggie …" Bella took a deep breath. "And Tanya."

The rest of the Cullens became particularly solemn as she spoke the second name, Carlisle more than the others. Silent tears fell down Nessie's face as she remembered the faces of the friends who had come to defend her… who had given their lives doing so.

Edward cleared his throat, fighting his emotions. "Garrett was injured pretty severely as well… but our kind are able to heal very easily, if given the chance…"

"So…" Jacob said slowly. "What stopped the attack?"

Six sets of golden eyes flashed immediately toward Jasper and Alice. They hesitated a moment, exchanging a look. "We came back." Jasper began. "It was _very_ difficult… I'd never had to push my power so far before. But I was able to calm everyone at least enough to notice our arrival. Aro was curious, so he called for a halt in the attack."

"But you left us…" Nessie shook her head, confused. "Why did you decide to come back all of a sudden?"

Alice was the one who explained. "We never wanted to leave you… but we knew a way we might have been able to persuade the Volturi… and it worked." She paused. "Renesmee, you are not the only one of your kind."

Nessie's eyes widened. "What are you saying?" She'd always assumed she was totally unique… a freak. Could it really be that she was not alone in the world?

"There are others like you in existence." Alice continued. "We were able to track down one of them… his name is Nahuel. I'm surprised you've never run into him or his sisters… they live very close by."

"We don't get out much." Jacob muttered vaguely, still shocked by the revelation.

"What was he like?" Nessie asked eagerly.

"Very much like you…" Her father explained. "He has a heartbeat. He sleeps and eats, but prefers to drink blood. His body temperature is very high..."

"And how old was he?"

Edward smiled. "One hundred and fifty. He stopped aging once he reached full maturity." He eyed his daughter significantly.

Jacob leaned his head back, wearing a distinct "I-told-you-so" expression. Nessie shoved his shoulder playfully, thrilled at the news. So they really _could_ be together forever…

"It was enough to prove to Aro that you posed no threat." Carlisle spoke again. "He apologized for the 'inconvenience' and they left." He said simply.

Nessie's eyebrows pulled together. "So why didn't you contact us? Mom, you knew _exactly_ where we'd be!"

The Cullens fell into another uneasy silence. Jacob was growing impatient. Why all the build-up?

It was Bella who finally spoke. "Well… not _all_ of the Volturi were totally content with just leaving. Some of them wanted to continue the fight… to try and hunt you down. Caius in particular…"

"I could see a plan forming in his head." Edward explained. "He knew they'd lost Demetri, but he was _so_ determined… he refused to accept that you were not a danger to our kind." He sighed heavily. "Aro overruled him, of course. But I could see that he was not willing to give up so easily…

"We decided it would be best to go on with our lives, pretending we did not know where you were. Even something as innocent as a phone call or letter could be easily traced, especially by those as powerful as the Volturi. We couldn't risk Caius learning of your location. If Aro ever decided to change his mind, you'd be as good as dead."

Jacob could sense something Edward was not telling them. "But you're here now…" His brow furrowed suspiciously.

Alice moved forward slightly. "I've been getting these… _flickers_ lately. Caius is planning something. He's gathering together some of the guard… he wants to try to find you himself, without Aro's permission." She shook her head. "I can't understand why he waited until _now_… but I can see him preparing – he should be ready to act any day now…"

Nessie's face paled as Jacob shifted to kneel before her, holding both of her hands in his. His eyes were fierce and protective. "But Demetri's gone… they've lost their tracker!" Jacob's voice was hopeful. There was no way he'd let anyone lay a hand on Nessie.

"They have someone new." Edward said softly. "Not nearly as skilled as Demetri, thank God… but good enough."

Jacob closed his eyes, fighting against his panic. "So they're after her."

"No." Bella corrected him. Both Nessie and Jacob's eyes flashed to her face, confused. "They're after _you_, Jake."

"What are you talking about?" Nessie cried before Jacob could even speak. "Why would they want him?"

"Because they know you're together. They saw you flee with him." Edward's voice was so soft, it would have been unheard by human ears. "Renesmee… to us, your scent is more like a human's than anything else. Demetri would have been able to track you easily, but to anyone less skilled, it would be like finding a needle in a haystack." His gaze shifted to Jacob's face, but he was unable to look him directly in the eyes.

"Jacob… the scent of one of your kind is… like nothing else. The only way we found you as quickly as we did was because you've left your smell all over these woods…"He fell silent. No one spoke. No one looked at Jacob. Only one pair of chocolate brown eyes never left his face. They widened in horror as the realization sunk in.

The tremors had already began down Jacob's spine as he spoke, his teeth clenched tightly together. "You didn't come to warn us… did you?" He closed his eyes, bracing himself for the answer he knew was coming.

"No." Edward whispered. "We need to keep my daughter safe. She can't stay with you anymore, Jacob... not now. We've come to take her home."

_A/N: Nooooo! I know, I know… I'm evil and mean and terrible to the poor characters! Please forgive me! (And review!) Oh, and the sadness in Bella's eyes from the last chapter was because she already knew she'd basically break Jacob's heart yet AGAIN by taking Nessie from him, and the fact that they're now romantically involved would hurt him that much more. That's why she looked guilty/sad when she realized they were together._


	8. Chapter 7

_A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update! I've been really busy getting back to school! Oh, not to mention I'm in a bad mood right now because of the news about Midnight Sun… I'm sure you guys have heard… I read the first 12 chapters and they're AMAZING. She just HAS to continue it! I'm holding on to the hope that Steph will snap out of it and change her mind…_

_Anyways, back to MY story… I'm sorry for being terribly cruel to poor Jacob… please forgive me!_

_**Chapter Seven**_

Nessie jumped to her feet, horrified. "You can't do this!" She exploded. How could they do this to her? To Jacob? But her cry of anger was drowned out by a deafening growl that shook the room around them. She glanced at the others for a moment, confused, then realized with a jolt that the terrible sound had come from Jacob.

Never before had Nessie seen him so close to losing control. His entire shape seemed to blur as the violent spasms rocked his body. It was as though he hovered on the edge – teetering between human and wolf. Every muscle of his body was tensed and his teeth were clenched tightly together. The growling continued to rumble through his chest, softer this time. He still had not opened his eyes.

"Jake, I'm so sorry…" Bella stood as she spoke, extending one arm toward Jacob but not touching him. Her voice broke on the last word as she fought back a tiny dry sob.

Nessie glared at her mother. "There's nothing to apologize for – I'm not going anywhere." She dropped to the floor, kneeling in front of Jacob's shaking form. "Calm down, Jake…" Nessie whispered gently, taking one of his hands in hers. "They'll never take me away from you. I won't let them." She pressed his hand to her cheek. "I promise."

Jacob would have given anything to open his eyes, to say something – _anything –_ in return. But the fury he felt in that moment filled him completely, paralyzed him. He could feel the white hot heat trickle down his spine, slow and agonizing. He was so close to phasing… too close. One move could be enough to make him lose control. So he simply sat there with his eyes closed, allowing Nessie's voice to fill his mind as he fought against his unbearable rage.

"Get away from him, Renesmee." Edward's voice was very controlled as he stepped toward his daughter. "Give him a chance to calm himself... You might get hurt." He nodded to Rosalie, who reached a hand toward Nessie, trying to pull her away.

Very abruptly, Jacob leapt to his feet, his eyes snapping open. "Like I would ever touch her!" He snarled viciously, stepping slowly and deliberately toward Edward as he spoke. The others noted that he seemed _bigger_, somehow. Taller. His muscles were bulging and his chest heaved as though the animal inside him were stretching his human form to the limit, just waiting to burst forth. "You think I would _ever_ hurt her after I've been keeping her safe for all these years?! And where have _you_been while _I_ was raising your daughter, you ungrateful, disgusting, parasitic son-of-a—"

"Jake, don't…" Nessie wrenched herself from Rosalie's grasp and stepped between him and Edward. Jacob was definitely hitting below the belt and, furious as she was, it was unfair to her father. "I'm a parasite too, remember?" She smiled at him half-heartedly.

Something in her expression seemed to calm him… for a moment, at least. His eyes softened a bit as they met hers, but his violent tremors continued. "You know I didn't mean it like that." He muttered. Jacob tried to return her smile, but the muscles in his face refused to cooperate. His eyes flashed back toward Edward's face and his rage began to swell within him yet again.

The rest of the Cullens remained silent, horrified. Emmett and Jasper had moved forward, closer than the others, preparing to defend their brother if necessary. Bella looked as though she were about to burst into tears, if that were possible. Edward alone seemed to remain calm.

"Would you care to step outside with me, Jacob?" He asked kindly, his composure never wavering. "I'd like to speak with you privately."

Jacob was prepared to immediately reject Edward's offer, but he could already feel his self control being pushed to the breaking point. What if he lost it? How could he, with Nessie close by? A face he hadn't seen in more than three years hovered briefly before his eyes. A gorgeous young woman with silky black hair, dark sparkling eyes, and three hideous red scars marring her face and destroying her beauty forever. He had to get away…

Edward had already stepped pass him, not bothering to look back as he headed for the front door. Jacob glanced down at Nessie's face. He wished he were able to hold her hand, to stroke her cheek, anything to reassure her. But the risk was too great. "Everything will be okay." He whispered, not believing his own words. His eyes scanned the room one last time, his gaze resting briefly on the faces of each of the Cullens. How could he ever have thought of them as friends… as _family_? All they had ever done was cause him pain, even Bella… He couldn't bear to look at her as he turned and left the room.

Edward was waiting for him at the bottom of the porch steps. The calm mask he had been wearing was still there, but some of the anguish he felt was beginning to break through. "Jacob…" He said softly. "Please try to understand."

Jacob did not move from the top step, still fighting to keep his form together. "No. _You _try to understand." He kept his voice as calm and controlled as he could manage. "I can't let you do this to me again. I _won't._" His voice was hard with determination. _You already took Bella from me._ He thought miserably_. In more ways than one... Wasn't that enough for you?_

A small sigh escaped Edward's lips. "Believe it or not, Jacob, I take no pleasure in hurting you. It has never been my intention. _Ever_." He paused, smiling softly. "And I think you're forgetting that if Bella and I had never married, our daughter would have never been born."

"You know what I meant." Jacob replied through his teeth. He refused to let the leech turn this around on him. "And _you're_ forgetting that it's not _my_ feelings that matter. Could you really do this to your daughter?"

His eyes narrowed as he spoke, focusing his mind on the distant memories of his former life in La Push. Jacob experienced a strange pleasure in watching the pain cross Edward's face as he recalled the empty shell his best friend had been when she had come to visit him after the Cullens had left. "Nessie and I have the same thing the two of you do." Jacob continued. "Maybe even stronger than that. Think of what you'd be doing to her."

Edward closed his eyes sadly. "I can't deny that." He agreed. "I understand how much this will hurt her… and you as well. But what choice do I have? If she stays here, Jacob - if they find her…" He trailed off, unable to finish the thought.

A shudder ran down Jacob's spine at Edward's words. He wasn't entirely sure whether it was from anger or fear. The two seemed to go hand-in-hand for him lately. He shook his head briefly and continued on. "But you're perfectly fine leaving _me_ here to be slaughtered by those Italian bloodsuckers, right? How many times have I saved your daughter's life? And Bella's? This is how you repay me?" He spat, disgusted.

Edward was beginning to lose patience. Could Jacob truly believe he was so heartless? "I'm indebted to you many times over… much more than I'd ever be able to repay. Believe me, I've not forgotten that. The last thing I would ever want to do is take your life, Jacob. Imagine what that would do to my daughter and my wife… _all _of us." He took a few steps closer to the stairs. Jacob remained standing on the porch, his fists clenched tightly at his sides.

"We have everything you need." Edward explained. "Forged travel documents, birth certificate, driver's license... We think it would be best if you headed for northern Russia, where the more… _traditional_ members of your kind can still be found. Your scent is very similar to theirs. It will be fairly easy for you to blend in, remain hidden."

Jacob stared at him blankly for several moments, not speaking. _I'm not going anywhere. This is my home... You can't make me leave this place. We're __both__ staying. _His eyes narrowed.

With a deep breath, Edward continued, his voice even softer than before. "I know how difficult this will be for you, Jacob. Believe me, I understand. I've been forced to leave Bella once before, in order to keep her safe. I was willing to make that sacrifice. Can't you do the same for my daughter?" He paused. "At least she'll understand _why_. She'll know you still love her…"

Jacob could feel his heart rate quicken as he stood there in silence. It was all beginning to make too much sense. _No!_ He shook his head back and forth, refusing to accept the realization that was beginning to enter his mind. _There's no way I can let this can happen…_

He thought back on the past several years of his life. He remembered the joy he'd felt that spring he had spent with Bella in his garage. It was the first time since his mother had died that he'd been _truly_ happy. But everything had changed the night he made the first transformation from human to wolf. It was like a rug being pulled away from beneath his feet. He was certain he'd never feel such happiness again. And yet somehow, Bella had come back to him – accepted him for who he was. But then she had run off to Italy to save that bloodsucker she loved so much… and took all his newfound joy with her.

For weeks he had wallowed in depression. There was no way he would ever see the girl he loved again. He soon realized that he had been wrong. She came back, just like before… and opened her heart to him at last. But it wasn't enough… how could it be as long as that leech was still in Bella's life? The pain he'd felt was worse than anything he'd experienced. And this time, things _didn't_ get better. He was forced to stand by and watch as his best friend married a parasitic freak, then had her life sucked away by her own unborn child.

And, worst of all, _he'd_ been the one to give permission for that parasite to turn her into one of them. What else could have done? At that moment, it had been all over. He was prepared to give up his life entirely, let his animalistic instincts take-over, and remain a wolf forever. _Anything_ to escape the pain…

After Nessie was born, his entire life turned around, of course. He was happier than he'd ever been. Happier than he ever thought he would be. All the pain he had endured had finally been worth it. Jacob would have gladly gone through every moment of suffering again if it meant he could keep Nessie in his life. But even that new and incredible peace and happiness had not lasted. He'd been forced to leave his home behind him. His family, his pack, everyone he loved… Except for the one person who mattered most.

And now that he finally had the one thing he'd longed for more than anything else – someone who would love him with her _whole_ heart… someone who would return his feeling unconditionally – fate had stepped in yet again to destroy his life. Maybe he was never meant to be happy. Maybe he was destined to be miserable forever…

"I'm so sorry." Edward whispered, his eyes closing as Jacob's crushing sorrow entered his mind. "More than you can imagine. But I _have_ to do this. There's no other option." He opened his eyes, breathing deeply. "I swear to you, after all of this is over, you can have her back. You can take her away… never speak to us again, if that's what you wish. But you must let me do this." His eyes hardened slightly, a slight hint of warning in his voice as he continued. "I would hate myself for it, Jacob. But if you do anything to stand in our way, I _will_ stop you."

Jacob's breathing became ragged as his painful decision was finally made. There really was no choice. As long as those bloodsuckers were searching for him, Nessie's life would be in danger. He had to keep her safe, even if it meant giving up her up… maybe for good.

"Thank you, Jacob." Edward spoke after a few moments. "I will never forget this…"

There was no reply. Without any warning, Jacob threw himself off the porch steps, finally allowing the animal within him to take over. The enormous russet wolf bounded swiftly into the thick jungle, never looking back.

Edward stared sadly into the trees, watching Jacob disappear from sight. Though he was no longer visible, his thoughts still echoed painfully in Edward's mind – no longer distinct or coherent, but wordless, crippling agony. He was so focused on Jacob's pain that he almost failed to notice as the front door was thrown open.

"What did you say to him?" Nessie demanded as she ran down the stairs, the rest of the Cullens following in her wake. She had only been able to catch bits and pieces of the conversation, but feared the worst when she heard the sounds of Jacob's transformation. Her mother had tried to hold her back, but she needed to know exactly what was happening. The look on her father's face said it all.

"I can't believe this!" She shot one last angry look at her father before breaking into a run and following the same path Jacob had taken. Nessie could hear her family calling after her in protest, but she did not care.

She was grateful that speed was one of her most powerful abilities as the red-brown wolf finally came into sight. Jacob slowed to a walk at the sound of her approach, finally coming to a halt as Nessie reached him. He dropped his body to the soft forest floor, never raising his eyes to meet hers.

Nessie knew that his decision had been made, but she had to try. "You can't let them do this, Jake." She whispered, kneeling beside him. Her eyes had begun to well with tears. "I love you."

Jacob whined softly, finally lifting his head. Nessie did not need to hear his voice to know what he was trying to say. She threw her arms around his neck, burying her face in the soft warmth. Would these be their last moments alone together? Her teardrops soaked his silky fur and her sobs echoed through the endless forest as grief finally consumed her.

_A/N: Wow. That was really long. Hope no one minds! So I was really depressed while writing that chapter… and, unfortunately, things are going to be pretty depressing in this story for a while… sorry! Please review!_


	9. Chapter 8

_A/N:_ _I'm SO sorry for taking FOREVER to update! I've been mega busy with classes and rehearsals for this semester's play! (On the plus side, it's a REALLLLLLY long one!)_ _And thanks again for all the reviews! The story is only about half over (if that!) so there is still much more to come! Some more sappy romance and depressing moments coming up… just a warning!_

_**Chapter Eight**_

Each of the Cullens fell silent as Nessie's retreating form disappeared into the thick trees, their previous cries of concern still echoing behind her. The others shifted uncomfortably as Bella let her face fall into her hands.

"I knew this would happen." She moaned miserably. "They hate us."

Edward grasped her hand, squeezing it gently. "That's not true." He whispered. "Renesmee is…" He paused, trying to find a word to describe the emotion he had seen in his daughter's mind. "_Beyond_ furious. But I can assure you that she doesn't _hate_ any of us."

His wife lifted her face to meet his gaze. "And Jacob?" Her perfect, musical voice faltered slightly over her friend's name.

It was a moment before Edward replied, wording his answer carefully. "Well… I don't think he could ever find it in his heart to hate _you_, no matter how much he wants to." He tried to smile.

"_I_ want him to." Bella muttered." After everything I've put him through, I'm surprised he hasn't just decided to kill me yet… I deserve worse." She shook her head sadly, already hating herself enough for the both of them.

"Bella, don't talk like that." Alice spoke before Edward had a chance to reply. "They'll both forgive you, eventually. And sooner or later we'll figure out this whole situation and everything will be _fine_." She assured her.

Bella was not convinced. "You can't know that, Alice." She sighed heavily. "You have no idea how this is all going to turn out." As long as Renesmee and Jacob were involved, Bella knew that her sister was practically blind.

With a small sigh, Alice glanced pointedly at Jasper for a moment. Bella could feel her anxiety and hopelessness begin to melt away quite suddenly as her brother's large hand came to rest on her shoulder. "Relax." He said softly.

She pulled away from him gently, shaking her head."Thanks, Jasper." She muttered. "But I need to let myself feel what I'm meant to feel. It… _helps_, somehow." Bella realized immediately how ridiculous her words must have sounded and fought back a bitter laugh. Could she really let herself believe that her feelings of anguish would somehow make up for what she was doing?

Emmett rolled his eyes with a small chuckle. "Just a _bit_ melodramatic, Bella. Listen to Alice – everything will be alright."

Carlisle and Esme each voiced their agreement, but the woman at Emmett's side kept her lips frozen in a tight line across her flawless face. There was so much Rosalie had been dying to say when they first arrived. It had seemed as though she were the only one who was _truly_ excited to be bringing Renesmee home with them at last. Hadn't she been keeping the dog as a pet for long enough? It was time for her to be with her family, where she belonged. Several murderous glances from Edward had kept Rosalie silent, of course, but her bitter thoughts remained.

Within the past hour, however, something had changed. She had finally begun to realize the sacrifice of bringing her niece home with them. To say that Jacob's pain meant _nothing_ to her would be a lie, but it was certainly not something she would agonize over. But seeing the suffering of the child she had fought so desperately to keep alive - the child she loved like a daughter – was unbearable. Knowing she had played a small part in causing that suffering made it even worse.

Rosalie was truly able to understand some of the anguish that Edward and Bella were facing. She wished she were able to do as the rest of her family: say something to give the two hope, lift their spirits… But now, after so many hours of forced silence, she was truly at a loss for words.

XXXXXX

It was nearly an hour before Jacob and Nessie finally returned. Their body language had become much more affectionate and their eyes were a bit redder than they had been, but the matching looks of contempt on their faces were exactly the same as before. They offered no words of greeting to the Cullens, but instead hesitated near the edge of the trees, unsure of how to proceed.

The Cullens lapsed into an uneasy silence at the couple's approach. Edward did not need to read their minds to know exactly what they wanted. After a quickly whispered conversation almost too soft for even Jacob's ears, Edward announced that he and the rest of his family would spend the entire day hunting, in preparation for the trip home.

It was obvious that he was lying. The Cullens were trying to be considerate, giving Jacob and Nessie time alone before they had to say goodbye. Perhaps under different circumstances the gesture would have been appreciated. Instead Jacob shrugged in indifference as Nessie eyed her family impatiently, waiting for them to leave.

She had spent most of her life dreaming of some glorious reunion with her family – something she was certain would never occur. And now that her dream had become a reality, Nessie found herself wishing more than anything that it had never come true. As she watched each member of her family disappear into the lush green of the forest, she marveled at the cruelty of fate. Her family or the man she loved? She could never have both, it seemed. Her decision had already been made, of course. It had been the moment she was born. If only the choice were hers to make.

XXXXXX

Nessie and Jacob spent the entire day together, trying their best to treat it like any other day. They hunted all morning, racing each other through the winding maze of trees and underbrush. Nessie won every time, just like always. The afternoon was spent in Jacob's garage, repairing the engine of an old '66 Corolla. After hours of work, Jacob thrilled at a tiny cough and sputter from beneath the hood; Nessie found it rather anticlimactic, but said nothing.

That night they cooked dinner together, practically destroying the kitchen, but laughing the entire time. They usually hunted for dinner, or else ordered take-out. Jacob was a disaster in front of the stove and Nessie certainly had not inherited her parents' cooking skill, but from time to time they tried for some adventure. Of course, those adventures usually resulted in catastrophe, and that night was no exception.

The atmosphere quickly changed once they had cleaned up their disastrous dinner and headed to the bedroom. The Cullens were set to leave just past midnight. Five more hours. Where had the day gone? Jacob sighed heavily and pulled his eyes away from the clock, climbing into the large bed. Nessie followed wordlessly, curling up into his arms. Neither spoke for several moments.

"You should sleep." Jacob's soft whisper finally broke the silence. "You've got a long trip tomorrow…" He closed his eyes as he spoke, fighting back a wave of emotion. _Not till she's gone_, he told himself for what seemed like the thousandth time that day, _You don't want her to see you like that…_

Nessie shook her head in reply. "Like I would let myself miss out on even _one second_ with you, Jake…" She tried to laugh, but found herself unable to. The realization was finally beginning to set in for both of them.

Nessie fell silent, lost in thought for a minute. "You know, we don't have to do this." She lifted her head, turning slightly to face him. A small smile had begun to tug at her lips. "Alice can't see what we're going to do… This is our chance! Why don't we just…"

"What? Run?" Jacob raised an eyebrow at her. He had to admit, the idea was temping. _Very_ tempting. The image flashed before his eyes for a moment – He and Nessie, safe, happy, and _together_, far away from anyone who knew or cared who they were.But where would they go? What would prevent her family from finding them? Or worse, the Volturi. How would he keep Nessie safe?

It was a moment before he spoke. "You know we can't, Ness. This is what's best for you."

"_No_. What's best for me is being with _you_." She insisted, though she knew there was no changing his mind.

Jacob tried to keep his voice light. "C'mon, it's not like it's _forever_." He forced a smile. "And _I'm _not going anywhere anytime soon… I'll be right here waiting for you when you get back."

To his surprise, Nessie's mouth dropped open in horror. "_Please_ tell me you're joking, Jake. You're _staying_? If it's _you_ the Volturi are after, you've got to leave – go someplace safe! For once, my family's right." She lifted her hand to stroke his face gently. "If you're really going to do this – let them take me away – then you've got to keep _yourself_ safe, too. I would die if I lost you." Her deep brown eyes pierced his.

"You will _never_ lose me, no matter what happens." He promised her. "Look… I'll stay as long as it's safe, but I swear to you, I'll leave right away if things get bad."

"You promise? The _second _things get too dangerous, you'll get out of here?"

"I promise." Of course, his definition of "too dangerous" was much different than hers. Jacob already knew that he would never leave. This was his _home_. A home he and Nessie had built together. He'd already been forced to leave one behind him before. He would never do it again.

Wordlessly, Nessie lifted her face toward his, kissing him softly at first. Jacob immediately pulled her face closer, deepening the kiss. Nessie practically melted in his arms. Even after the many months they had been a couple, she was still astonished at how inexplicably _perfect_ his lips felt against hers. Then again, she wondered, what about him was _not_ perfect? His touches made her tremble, his kisses made her weak, his voice calmed and soothed her, his smile brightened even the darkest of days…

How would she survive without him?

As this thought was crossing her mind, Jacob pulled away from her gently, his lips parted slightly. His eyes trailed over each and every feature of her face, taking it all in. He memorized the exact curve of her lips, the faint blush of her pale cheeks, the perfect arch of each eyebrow… and her eyes – the eyes that made him fall in love with her all over again each time he stared into their sparkling depths.

There were plenty of pictures of Nessie around the house, but they would be nothing compared to seeing her here before him, holding her in his arms, feeling her warm breath as it washed over his face. He needed a memory to hold on to… Somewhere he could go to in the dark days he knew would lie ahead of him. He would fall back into this moment – gazing at the perfect face of his very reason for existing, lying beside her, knowing that she was his – that he was _hers_ – and that no power on earth would ever change that.

"I love you." Jacob said finally. "Well, more than that, actually." He allowed himself a small smile. "I wish there was a word for the way I feel about you. But I guess 'love' is the closest thing." He grasped one of her hands and held it to his lips.

Nessie finally gave up on holding back her tears. They spilled down her cheeks freely now, a few tiny sobs escaping her trembling lips. After a moment's hesitation, she reached for the nape of her own slender neck, unclasping the heavy golden locket that hung there. With a tiny_ click_ she opened it, pressing the cool metal into Jacob's empty palm.

Confused, Jacob gazed down at the open locket in his hand. It was very familiar to him – Nessie had worn it every single day since her mother gave it to her. But he saw now that, though the picture of Nessie and her family remained, a second picture had been added to the opposite side, covering the inscription. It had been taken at Christmastime, a few weeks after their kiss in the garage. They had been fooling around with the self-timer on Nessie's new camera, posing and making silly faces. In this photo, Jacob carried Nessie on his back, laughing as she planted a kiss on his cheek.

Nessie smiled softly through her tears. "I want you to keep it, until we're together again. So you won't forget how much I love you." She leaned closer to him, her voice trembling with emotion. "More than anything in the world, Jacob… More than my own life."

_A/N: Okay, so I was getting very teary toward the end of this chapter (Maybe it had something to do with playing "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing" on repeat in the background as I wrote? That was definitely the inspiration for the last half of this chapter.) I realize that it was INSANELY cheesy, sappy, and gooey… but I personally love that sort of thing… I hope you guys do too._

_So here's my question for you all (hopefully you're reading this AN!): I was GOING to write the scene where Nessie and the Cullens leave at the end of this chapter, but changed my mind for various reasons (partially because this chapter is LONG). I was planning on instead portraying that scene in the NEXT chapter in the form of a flashback. But after re-reading what I wrote, I'm wondering whether writing out that scene would be an overload of the mushiness… because it would basically be more lovey-dovey/bittersweet stuff, which there has already been a lot of in this story. The next chapter is already going to be VERY depressing, so I'm wondering if it would all be TOO much, you know? Would it be better to leave it up to you guys to imagine what their goodbyes were like?_

_So, as usual, please R&R, but also answer my question, if you get a chance! I like to make my readers happy and give you guys what you want!_


	10. Chapter 9

_A/N: I'm alive! Yayyy! Hahaha. I'm sorry it's been SO long since I've updated! I've been really busy with school… but (as I have promised) I will NOT give up on this story! So don't get discouraged if you have to wait a month or so between updates (although I'm hoping it'll never be quite THIS long ever again). WARNING: This chapter is about 90% dialogue, which was quite interesting to write… hahaha. Anyways, on with the story!_

_**Chapter Nine**_

The rhythmic patter of the falling rain seemed to echo in the eerie silence of the house. Jacob could clearly make out the sound of each drop as it collided with the roof, high above his head. According to the calendar, the rainy season should have been nearing its end, yet there had been multiple downpours day after day for the past several weeks. Perhaps under different circumstances, this would have bothered him, but Jacob was completely indifferent to the unusual weather pattern. It was appropriate, after all; his thoughts had been just as dark and dismal as the sky above since the day Nessie was taken from him.

He fought desperately not to think of it, but it was a memory he could not escape. His mind lingered relentlessly over every painful detail - The identical look of pity on each Cullen's face as they mumbled an awkward farewell. Edward's calm mask, back in place as he repeated his previous words of gratitude. Bella's endless pleas for forgiveness, unacknowledged by her best friend. He never even looked her in the eye. The feel of Nessie's lips against his as they shared one final, too-short kiss. Her whispered promise that she would see him again, no matter what it would take. And, worst of all, the unbearable pain of his heart splitting in two as he watched her walk away, carrying a piece it with her…

Jacob closed his eyes, the bedroom ceiling vanishing from his view. With Nessie gone, he had spent most of his time in wolf form, running for miles and miles – sometimes for days at a time. His original plan had been to just keep running – give up his human life and succumb to his animal instincts, as he had once before. But something always brought him back; he could not bring himself to leave the house behind. It was only the way left to feel close to her.

Jacob started slightly as the sharp, sudden ringing of the phone broke the silence. Jacob sighed. _Probably some telemarketer._ Those were the only types of calls he and Nessie ever received, with the exception of Jacob's few clients. He glanced briefly at the alarm clock beside him. It was nearly eleven. _A little late to be bugging people for money,_ he thought vaguely.

As always, the phone rang twice and went straight to the machine. Jacob went back to staring at the ceiling as the piercing beep reached his ears. But he shot up immediately as a painfully familiar voice began to speak.

"Jake?" It's… me. I know you're probably sleeping or – "

Jacob made it to the living room in seconds, the phone pressed firmly against his ear. "Nessie?" He breathed, praying he was not dreaming.

"Oh God, Jake!" The girl sounded as though she were about to cry. "I was afraid you weren't going to pick up."

He did not answer immediately, taking in the sound of her voice. It sounded even more beautiful than he remembered.

"Are you still there?" Nessie asked nervously.

"Sorry… I was just thinking about how amazing it is to hear your voice again…" He smiled as he spoke. "I think I was starting to go a little crazy without hearing it for so long."

His smile widened at the sound Nessie's soft laugh. "Believe me, you have _no_ idea, Jake." She sighed. "I miss you so much. That's why I called."

Jacob's sudden relief and elation disappeared immediately at her words. "Ness…" He sighed. "Did you tell anyone you were calling me?"

"Look, I know what you and dad told me, but I don't care! I couldn't stand it anymore… I just needed to talk to you."

Jacob shook his head, forgetting, for a moment, that she could not see him. He and Edward had agreed that even a phone call would be too risky. Alice was having a hard time seeing what the Volturi's new tracker was capable of, but even without him on their side, the Volturi would surely have no problem tracing a simple phone call.

"I thought you agreed we'd wait a few months before we tried anything." There was a slight edge of anger in his voice. He loved Nessie more than anything in the world, but a mere phone call was not worth putting her life in danger.

"When have I ever been patient, Jake?" Nessie teased, hoping to lighten his mood. She paused, but Jacob said nothing. "Do you want me to hang up?" She asked finally.

"Of course not," Jake muttered. The damage had already been done. Besides, he could not deny that the sound of Nessie's voice made him the happiest he had been in the weeks since she had left. "How'd you manage to call without anyone finding out?" He asked, both curious and slightly impressed that she had managed such a feat.

He could almost hear the smile in her voice. "It was really easy, actually. Everyone else went out hunting and mom and dad went upstairs to talk. I like to be alone a lot, and I think they get pretty worried." She paused briefly. "I just listened as hard as I could and waited until I heard them talking about something other than me. I knew they'd stopped paying attention, so I just kind of ran for the phone. I made sure not to actually _think_ about what I was doing until I had it in my hand."

"Nice one… very sneaky." Jacob teased, but his tone quickly became serious. "But they must know what you're up to by now…"

"Probably." Nessie muttered casually. He heard her take another brief pause. "Yeah, they're pretty quiet up there." She sighed. "They must be listening... I might have to go soon."

Jacob hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I can't do this anymore, Ness." He said seriously.

"I know." Nessie's voice was almost a whisper. "It's killing me too. I've barely slept, or eaten, or even spoken to my family since I left. All I can think about is when I'm going to see you again."

"That's just it!" Jacob's voice rose in frustration. "We don't know when or, let's face it, _if_ we'll see each other again. As long as the Volturi are still after you, there's no chance." He took a deep breath. "So I'm gonna try to change that."

Nessie's voice was uncertain. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't freak out, Ness." He warned. "I know you too well… but just hear me out, okay?" She said nothing, so Jacob continued. "As soon as I get any clue that those bloodsuckers are nearby… What if I find _them _before they find _me_?"

The sound of Nessie's breathing stopped entirely and, for a moment, there was absolute silence on the other end on the phone line.

She still did not speak, so Jacob continued, hoping he could make her understand. "I know it sounds crazy, but look at it this way – Alice said there aren't many of them, right? I'm stronger than you know, Nessie. I might be able to take them out – especially if I can surprise them."

Nessie finally spoke, her voice frantic and rushed. "That's a suicide attack! I already know how strong you are, but be realistic, Jake. They'll tear you apart –_ literally_."

"We don't know that." Jacob argued. "Carlisle always talks about how reasonable they can be… what if I just meet with them and lie about where you are? Maybe they'll let me go and move on." He knew just how unlikely this would be, but he hoped Nessie would believe it. Anything to ease her worry.

"Right, and then maybe they'll just give up the search and head back to Italy. I'm not stupid, Jake." Nessie's voice was hard. "But obviously you _are_ if you're even considering this! _Please_ don't do this, Jake. We just have to be patient and – "

"What, _wait_? I told you already, Ness. I can't do this anymore. I have to try. I need to see you again."

"And what if something happens to you?! Then you never will!"

Jacob had not given this much consideration. It took him a moment to reply. "Well…" He said slowly. "At least you'll know I tried… and they won't be any closer to finding you, right? Believe me Nessie, it'll beat living without you."

Nessie was clearly dumbstruck. "I'm begging you, Jacob! You can't do this to yourself… or to _me_. I would _die_ without you! Have you thought of that?"

Again, this was something Jacob had not considered. "You have nothing to worry about." He said finally. "Because everything will be fine. I promise."

"Don't make a promise you can't keep." Nessie's voice was shaking. "The only promise I want to hear from you is that you'll – Oh."

Jacob was puzzled for a moment until he heard a soft voice on Nessie's end. "May I?"

"Um… Jake, I think my dad wants to talk to you." Nessie muttered.

Jacob grumbled angrily in reply. "Okay."

"Jacob?" Edward asked calmly.

"I'm here… I guess you've been listening in, huh?"

"Yes… and I'd like a chance to reason with you." Edward paused a moment. "My daughter is right. You would stand no chance against the Volturi. Not on your own."

"What are you getting at?" Jacob demanded.

There was a soft sigh on the other end. "If there's no chance of changing your mind, at least allow me to offer you some help. You can't face them by yourself."

"No." Jacob said firmly, his decision already made. "I don't need help from any bloodsuckers. I'll manage on my own."

"I understand why you feel that way." Edward continued. "But I'm sure Emmett or Jasper – "

"_No._" Jacob repeated. "You're wasting your breath." He muttered bitterly.

Edward took a deep breath. "Alright. If you won't accept help, then please accept my advice. Think about what it would do to my wife and daughter if this doesn't end the way you planned. Before you do anything, just think about how much it would hurt them."

Jacob thought for a moment. "As for Bella, well… something tells me she wouldn't be as torn up about it as you think." There was a bitter edge to his voice that surprised even himself. They had both caused each other so much pain… maybe it would just be easier for both of them if he was out of her life – forever.

"And Nessie is… strong." He continued. "Probably stronger than you realize. She'd be able to move on without me. Especially with you there to help her through it." He added grudgingly.

"You underestimate how much they love you, Jacob. It's almost insulting." Edward replied simply.

Jacob could think of nothing else to say. He had to believe that his decision was for the best. He could see no other way. "May I please speak to Nessie again?" He asked politely. "So I can say goodbye?"

"Please, Jacob… just think about what you're doing. It's not the only way. The offer is still open – we'll help you get away, where the Volturi will never find you."

"You know I can't do that. Try to understand." Jacob said softly. "Don't tell me you wouldn't do the same thing."

"Not alone."

"No leech sidekicks, sorry."

For a moment, there was no reply. "I suppose it's your choice." Edward said finally. "Be safe, Jacob."

"I know what I'm doing." He replied.

"Jake, listen to him, please." Jacob was relieved to hear Nessie's voice again.

"I guess you'd better go, Ness."

"For once my dad's right. Will you at least think about what he said to you?"

"I will." Jacob promised. "But I've already made up my mind.

There was a pause. "Is this… the last time I'll talk to you then?" Her voice broke. Jacob could tell she was crying.

"Aw, Ness… Don't talk like that. I told you, everything will be _fine_. Maybe you can call me again. But only if you ask first, okay?" He fought to keep his voice light, hoping that this would _not _be the last time he spoke with her.

"Please, Jake… don't do this."

He ignored her plea. "I love you. So much."

"Me too… More than my own life." It was almost impossible to make out her words through the tears.

"Bye, Ness."

"Jake…"

He hung up the phone and held his face in his hands for several moments before returning to the darkness of the empty bedroom.

XXX

The sun was beginning to set as Jacob bounded through the thick trees, his four legs pushing harder and harder with each stride. After making up his mind the night before, he decided to get a good start on patrolling the area, looking for signs of any unfamiliar scents. Jacob had not expected to find anything interesting, but just after dusk, an unusual smell filled the air, pulling him back in the direction of his home.

What bothered him the most was that this smell was _not _unfamiliar to him. As he neared the stretch of woods edging his driveway, the smell grew stronger, as did his certainty about the source of the odor. But he refused to believe it until he saw for himself.

He broke through the trees to find two tall, imposing figures standing on his front porch and pounding on the door. The male was the first to speak.

"Jake! Come on!"

"We know you're in there!" His companion added

"Maybe he's not home. Should we check the woods?"

"No, he must've heard us by now, wherever he – "

A soft whine from the large russet wolf caught the pair's attention.

"Speak of the Devil." The boy smiled as he nudged his older sister. "Told you he wasn't home."

"Why if it isn't Mr. Alpha himself." The girl glided down the steps toward Jacob, her brother following close behind.

Jacob shook his large head in disbelief as they drew closer.

"Miss us?" Seth Clearwater asked. "The old pack, together again."

_A/N: Yay for Seth and Leah! Hahaha. Sorry again for making you guys wait so long! I swear it won't happen again!_


	11. Chapter 10

_A/N: Before I begin with my usual Author's Note, I wanted to let everyone know that I MET ROBERT PATTINSON DURING THE HOT TOPIC TOUR LAST MONTH AND IT WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! AHHHHH! (And I've seen the Twilight movie 10 times so far! I love it!)_

–_ahem—_

_Anyway, Hi everyone! I'm sorry it's taken SO long for an update, but school has been killing me slowly… Hope you've been enjoying the story so far! I've been anxiously awaiting this point in the story when Jake's little pack from Breaking Dawn is reunited. Just a quick heads-up… there's not a lot of STORY in this chapter… it's mostly getting Jacob (and the readers!) up-to-date on what's been happening back at home in the four-ish years that Jake's been gone (since he didn't really get a chance to talk with the Cullens much). On with the show!_

_**Chapter Ten**_

"Nice place, Jake." Seth smiled appreciatively as he and his sister followed their now two-legged friend into the large white house.

"Yeah," His sister agreed. "It's definitely a lot cleaner than I'd expect from _you_." Leah smirked as she spoke.

Jacob shook his head, smiling. She hadn't changed a bit. "I guess some of Nessie's good habits rubbed off on me..." Jacob muttered, the smile slowly vanishing from his face. His joy at seeing his friends again had almost made him forget _why_ they were there in the first place. He cleared his throat softly before continuing down the hall.

The three were silent for several moments until they came to a stop in the middle of the living room. Seth and Leah glanced at their host expectantly for a moment. Jacob was still fairly new to the prospect of having guests to entertain. He hesitated briefly before speaking.

"Um… you can put your stuff in there, I guess." Jake pointed Seth in the direction of his own bedroom before directing Leah toward Nessie's old room. He supposed it was only polite. He could sleep on the floor, or even outside, in wolf form; the couch was much too small for him.

With a small shake of his head, Jacob began to consider how he would break the news to his friends; it looked like they were expecting to stay awhile, but there was no way he would let them. He couldn't allow them to put their lives at risk for his sake. They would have to go back to Washington, where it was safe.

Jacob subtly averted his eyes as Seth stepped back into the main room. The slight limp with which he now walked was much more apparent up close, and seeing it pained Jake more than he expected it to. There was no way he would let Seth get hurt again – not because of him. But that conversation could wait until later… He knew it was selfish, but the presence of his friends made Jacob the happiest he'd been since Nessie had left. Perhaps a two or three day visit wouldn't hurt.

With a heavy sigh, Seth threw himself back onto the couch, closing his eyes. Jacob took a seat beside him, laughing softly. "Go ahead… make yourself at home," He muttered mockingly, coaxing a slight smile from his exhausted friend.

"I'll call if anything happens, I _promise_." Leah rolled her eyes as she emerged from around the corner, a tiny black cell phone held to her ear.

Jacob stood to offer her his spot on the couch, but she refused him with a slight shake of her head and instead sat herself on the floor, folding her legs carefully beneath her. "I love you too… Everything's gonna be fine." She smiled softly as she spoke. "Yeah, he's right here… hold on."

Leah extended her arm toward her brother, who plucked the phone from her grasp. "Mom?" Seth paused briefly before rolling his eyes, just as his sister had. "Yes, we'll be careful. Uh-huh. Don't worry, I'll tell him." Seth winked at Jacob. "Love you. Charlie too. Tell him not to worry, okay? Alright, talk to you soon. Bye."

Seth tossed the phone back to his sister, shaking his head. "Sorry, Jake. Mom made us promise we'd call as soon as we got in. She and Charlie have kinda been freaking out about this whole thing."

"Can't really blame 'em though," Leah added. "I mean, we couldn't exactly tell them _where_ we were going or what we'd be doing, so…"

Jacob's eyebrows pulled together as his friends spoke. Something had sounded out-of-place, but he couldn't figure out what.

Seth eyed his friend's puzzled expression for a moment before realizing the confusion. "Wow, I forgot how much things have changed since you and Nessie left." He shook his head in amazement. "Mom and Charlie got married, what, three years ago?" He glanced toward his sister who nodded in confirmation. "He lives with us down on the Res. It's a longer commute for him, but I don't think he minds… he and mom are pretty crazy about each other." A small smile came to his lips as he spoke. "And it's nice having another guy around the house."

Leah simply shrugged. "Yeah… he's pretty cool, I guess. Though I can't say I'm thrilled about having a bunch of bloodsuckers in the extended family."

Seth laughed out loud. "Oh, come on. You like the Cullens way more than you're willing to admit."

"They're not _terrible_." She allowed. Her eyes flashed back to Jacob. "So I guess that makes you our… step-nephew-in-law or something, huh?" She said with a smirk.

Jacob laughed softly. "Or something." He agreed, still trying to absorb the news. He'd noticed that Charlie and Sue had been spending a lot of time together in the months following Bella's wedding, but he never would have expected to hear that they'd gotten _married _barely a year later. How much else had changed in the time he'd been gone?

"Mom wanted us to tell you to take care of yourself, by the way." Seth said, waking Jacob from his reverie. "She knows we're with you… but that's about it. We knew it was too dangerous to tell her anything else."

"I can't believe she even let you guys leave… How did you even get here so fast anyway?" Jacob asked. "I mean, I didn't even talk to Nessie until late last night."

Seth laughed. "Yeah, we figured as much when our phone started ringing at 1AM."

Leah's eyes narrowed. "Did they forget that those of us with a pulse actually _sleep_?" She sighed heavily.

Seth ignored his sister's comment. "Anyway, Edward told us you were planning on doing something completely stupid— "

"Which we'd _never_ expect from you, of course." Leah teased. Jacob leaned forward, taking a playful swing at her, which she dodged easily.

Her brother couldn't suppress a small smile as he continued. "So we started packing right away, just throwing whatever we could find into our bags. Mom and Charlie weren't too happy when we couldn't tell them where we were going or how long we'd be gone, but they kind of eased up when we mentioned you, Jake. They miss you a lot."

"We went straight to the Cullen's place. They gave us a ton of cash and directions on how to find you. They let us borrow a car and the next thing you know, we were at the airport." Leah paused. "Of course, we had to let Quil and the others know what was going on before we went anywhere. They were all dying to come along and see you… I don't think any of us have really been the same since you left. But there was no way they could; Quil was already losing two of us, and with the chance of our little Italian friends popping in for a visit, I think he wants the pack ready for a fight."

"Quil?" Jacob shook his head, confused. "Is he Alpha now? What about Sam?"

Leah said nothing and became suddenly interested in tracing the grain pattern of the hardwood floor. Seth hesitated a moment before answering, his eyes flicking momentarily toward his sister. "Sam and Emily finally got married last year. We all wish you could have been there. It was really nice." He paused to take a sideways glance at his sister, gauging her reaction. Her expression remained unchanged. "Anyway, a few months before the wedding, Sam decided to stop phasing so they could have a 'normal' life… They were really excited about starting a family together. They're, uh… having a boy. I think he's due in July."

"August." Leah corrected him, her eyes never leaving the floor. "They asked me to be his godmother."

Jacob studied her unusual expression, trying to decide whether she was about to burst into laughter or tears. He supposed Emily and Sam were just trying to be nice… They cared about Leah very much, after all. But couldn't they see how much it was torturing her?

Seth bit his lip, eyeing his sister anxiously. "Um, yeah… So with you and Sam out of the picture, Quil was next in line, I guess." His expression suddenly relaxed and he rolled his eyes dramatically. "You should see him. He definitely loves it _way_ too much. It's kind of disgusting sometimes."

"Really? Well, has he been doing a good job?" Jacob asked, trying to picture his friend as leader of the pack.

It was Leah who answered, abruptly returning to her normal self. "He isn't 'bad' at it or anything, he just needs to get over himself sometimes." She sighed. "You and Sam never really _wanted_ it like he did, and I think that's why you were both so good at it. He could definitely learn a thing or two about humility."

Jacob shook his head, unsurprised at what Leah had told him. "Well I guess he'll have lots of time to brush up on it… He's still got a good ten years or so to wait for Claire, right?" He smiled, realizing that Claire would be turning eight in just a few months. He suddenly wished he had been able to see her grow up. Where had the time gone?

"True," Seth agreed. "But that also means we'll be putting up with him for awhile… assuming me and Leah decide to go back after we're through with all this."

Jacob carefully ignored the last comment. "What about Embry? Or Jared?" He asked, suddenly wondering about the rest of his pack brothers.

"Jared stopped phasing too, so he and Kim can be together. I think they're planning on getting married next year." Leah's voice had a slight bitter edge to it as she spoke. "And Embry imprinted a few weeks ago." She added, her tone as casual as if she were discussing the weather.

Jacob's eyes widened "What?! With who? What's she like?" He let his mouth hang open, both shocked and excited for his friend.

Seth smiled. "She's kind of shy, but really pretty too. Her name's Shannon, she's from the Makah Res. She came down to visit family last month and Embry ran into her on the beach."

There was a moment's hesitation before Jacob spoke. "How old?"

"Fifteen. He's still gotta wait a few years, but it won't be so bad." Seth shrugged as he spoke. "I've never seen him so happy."

Jacob nodded in agreement, understanding all too well just how wonderful imprinting truly was. "What about you?" He asked his friend, realizing now that every one of the original pack members had now imprinted… but what did that mean for the rest of them?

"Nothing yet." Seth smiled, unconcerned. "I definitely think it's more common than we thought, but I'm not worried. I just know it's gonna happen for me someday… I just have to find her. For all I know, she hasn't even been born yet. I mean, look at you and Nessie." He sighed wistfully. "But I don't mind waiting."

Seth was silent for a few moments after that. Jacob paused, allowing his friend some time to think before opening his mouth to speak again. "What about Paul?" He asked slowly, afraid of the answer. "What's he been up to?" _Hopefully not marrying my sister…_ He practically shuddered at the thought.

"Not a lot… He's practically been living at your house these past couple of years though." Leah smiled as she spoke. "Right now I think he's trying to decide when would be the right time to leave the pack like Sam and Jared did. But he knows Quil might need him soon, and Rachel doesn't seem to be in a rush, so I think he's prepared to wait. It's probably for the best anyway… we really need him. I mean, we got some new guys just before you left, but they're just so _young_. They've been getting better, but they've still got a long way to go. But man, Colin and Brady definitely get a kick out of 'em… they really love bossing everyone _else_ around for once." She laughed softly before once again falling into silence.

Jacob did not speak for several moments, contemplating what he was about to say. He had asked about everyone – except for the one person he wondered about most. The one person he missed more than all the others. The one person it pained him to even think about. He took a deep breath. "What about my dad?"

Seth hesitated just a moment before responding. "He's fine." He assured his friend. "It's just… hard for him. I mean, he's got your sister with him, but we all know he was never close with her like he was with you. He still talks about you all the time." Seth smiled sadly. "I think it makes things easier to have Charlie living so close by, but he's not the same man he used to be…"

Jacob closed his eyes, letting the crushing guilt wash over him. Now he remembered why he so rarely thought about his father; the pain was unbearable, suffocating. "Does he know you're here?" His voice was almost a whisper.

Leah shook her head slowly. "We didn't want him knowing that you might be in danger… he worries about you so much already. But I'm sure Mom and Charlie must have said something to him by now."

A wave of emotion surged through him as Jacob tried to suppress the image of his father's frantic, worried face. Had he not hurt his dad enough already? HHeHefe

He thought back to a distant afternoon four years before… the last time he had spoken to his father.

_Jacob closed the door behind him as he and Nessie squeezed into the extremely cramped phone booth. "I've just gotta make a quick call, Ness. Then we can go home." He assured her._

"_Okay." Nessie replied, though she wore a slightly puzzled expression as she lifted her hand toward his face. _

_Jacob bent forward, allowing her to touch him. An image of a painfully familiar face flashed before his eyes. "Yeah, it's him... I've just gotta say goodbye." He closed his eyes for a moment, then picked up the phone and dialed._

_He knew that it was reckless, dangerous, __stupid_._ It had been less than a month since he and Nessie had settled into their new life in Brazil... no doubt the Volturi would still be hunting them, trying to track their every move. But he couldn't bear it any longer; he couldn't go on without saying goodbye to his father, hearing his voice one more time._

_He held one of Nessie's small hands tightly in his as he waited for someone to answer. It only took two rings._

"_Hello?" Billy's voice sounded weak, tired. It was even harder than before for Jacob to control his emotion._

"_Hi, Dad." He said softly. _

"_Jacob?!" His father's words came in a rush. "Are you alright? They won't tell me anything… Where are –"_

"_I can't talk long, Dad. I'm sorry." Jacob sighed softly, relieved that at least someone must have survived the attack to speak to his father. He tried not to dwell on who it might be. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm safe. This might be the only chance I get to talk to you…"_

_His father paused. "Are you coming home, son?" It sounded as though he already knew the answer._

"_I don't think so… I'm sorry." His voice was thick as he spoke. "I wish I could explain why."_

_Billy did not speak for a moment. "I think I understand." Jacob was surprised by the calm tone of his father's voice. "I know you'll be fine… You can take care of yourself." He took a deep breath. "But I'll sure miss you."_

_Jacob could no longer fight back his tears. "I'm so sorry, Dad. I… I've gotta go. I love you."_

"_Jake, wait… I – "_

"_I'm sorry." He repeated. _

"_Jake…"_

_With a deep breath, Jacob hung up the phone._

"Are you okay?" Leah whispered, bringing her friend back to the present.

"Yeah." He tried to smile as he hurriedly wiped a tear from his eye. "I just miss him, that's all."

Seth patted him soothingly on the shoulder. "Just think – once we get everything taken care of here, you can come home and see him again… Nessie and Bella too."

Leah stood suddenly, taking a seat on the arm of the couch. "And speaking of getting things 'taken care of', what's the plan, Mr. Alpha?"

"What do you mean?"

Seth laughed. "Well, we knew there was no way we'd be able to talk any sense into you… so I guess the best we can do is help you take these guys down… but we need to know what your plan is before we can do anything."

Jacob thought for a moment. "Um… Well, the plan was that I would be doing this _alone_. I hadn't exactly come up with a strategy yet…"

"Which is exactly why you _can't_ do this alone!" Leah rolled her eyes as she spoke. "You need our help."

_You're right,_ Jacob silently agreed. _I __can't__ do this alone… but I have to._ "We'll talk about it." He allowed.

"Alright, but before we do any talking, can we get outside and run a little?" Seth stood carefully, stretching his injured leg. "My leg gets kinda stiff if I just sit around too long."

"Sounds good to me." Leah grinned evilly at Jacob. "I bet I can still beat you."

Jacob shrugged, returning her smile. "Probably… Nessie always does." He stood, leading the others toward the front door. "Besides, there's a lot I want to tell you guys too… but it might be easier just to _show_ you."

"Alright." Leah said as they headed down the front steps. "But none of the gross details about you and Nessie, okay? Seth and I just ate." She stuck her tongue out at him briefly before breaking into a run. Before Jacob could even blink, the small grey wolf was darting into the trees, her shed clothes trailing behind her.

Her brother shook his head for a moment before bounding after her, his injury slowing him down much less than Jacob had expected. Jake could not suppress his joy at the realization that his old pack was really together again. He hesitated a moment before phasing. Having Seth and Leah with him made him feel so happy… almost whole again. How would he ever find the strength to push them away?

He chased the thought from his mind as he took a running leap into the air, landing on four powerful legs. With a few quick strides he disappeared into the trees behind his friends, forgetting, for a moment, the dangers that lay ahead of him.

_A/N: WOW. That was long! I'm sorry! Anyways, I hope you all liked it! I've never ever tried to write ANYTHING about Seth or Leah before, so I'm hoping they weren't terribly out of character. (One thing to keep in mind is that ALL of my characters are approximately four years older than they were in BD, so I'd like to imagine they've all matured a little since then (particularly Seth and Jacob). Leah will always be snarky and bitter… hahahahaha!) As always, please R&R!_ _If I don't update before the end of the month (which I very well may… you never know!) I hope everyone has a happy holiday and New Year!!!_


	12. Chapter 11

_A/N: Hi! Happy (late) New Year everyone! So I'm not gonna lie… this chapter is kind of here as a lead-in to my next story. It will be a sequel-ish that will take place a few years after the events of this story in the same timeline (where Nessie and Jacob were forced to run away, the Volturi coming back, ect). But it will have a completely different main character. I'm sure you'll be able to tell who when you read ;) This is a bit of set-up for the background of the next story. _

_Anyways, I hope everyone is enjoying THIS story! I really appreciate you guys reading! There are probably 4 or 5 chapters left after this one (I don't like to draw things out hahaha), so enjoy it while it lasts! Now on with the show! (It's a LONG one this time! Hope most of you consider that a good thing! XD)_

_**Chapter 11**_

_Geez, sis! Wait up! _The sandy brown wolf's breaths came in quick, sharp gasps as he struggled to keep up with the tiny gray one who ran ahead of him.

Seth had been running more in the past several days than he had in ages. Each day they extended their perimeter farther and farther from Jacob's home, and it was beginning to take a toll on his already weakened leg. Jacob and Leah had been good about pacing themselves when they all ran together, but Seth noticed that with each passing day, his sister seemed more and more moody, anxious, and unwilling to slow down. That particular day was no exception. She ran so far ahead that she was almost invisible beneath the darkening sky, even to his sensitive eyes.

_Give the kid a break, Leah._ Jacob's thought came from somewhere to Seth's left.

Leah grudgingly slowed her pace and fell back, closer to the others. Her companions could see in her mind the frustration at being held back. _Come on, he's being a baby, Jake. _She thought bitterly. _He just wants us to feel sorry for him._

A low growl rumbled through Seth's chest. _That's a lie! You know it's harder for me than it used to be. I can't help it. _

Before Leah had a chance to respond, Jacob cut in. _Alright you guys, cool it. It's starting to get dark. Me and Leah will double-back and make sure we didn't miss anything. Seth, can you do a quick sweep south? I want to get the area cleared before midnight so we can head back home._

Seth did his best to suppress his anger toward his sister and nodded briefly toward Jacob before veering off to the right and disappearing into the trees. Jacob turned back in the direction from which they came and slowed to a walk. He could hear Leah's footfalls as she caught up with him, matching her step with his.

Jacob could put it off no longer; he allowed the thoughts he had kept carefully concealed all day come to the surface. The large russet wolf shook his head from side to side sadly. _Leah, what's going on?_ He did not have to put his concerns into words; Leah could see it all very clearly in his mind.

When his friends first arrived, Jacob could not help but marvel at the new, seemingly happier Leah. She smiled more often than he remembered, and very rarely did she sulk or complain. But as time passed, he began to notice a sort of bitterness lying beneath the surface, growing each day. She spent a lot of time by herself and was quick to get angry. Very gradually, she began to act more and more like the old Leah he remembered… only there was something different that he could not place. Jacob tried to read her thoughts each day as they ran together, but Leah was careful to keep her mind focused the trees rushing past her and the wet, heady scent of the rainforest. He needed to know what was wrong.

_I don't know what you're talking about._ She lied weakly.

Jacob stopped abruptly and turned to face her. _Alright, enough is enough. Something's definitely up… You were way out of line, talking to your brother like that. _

_Seriously. _Seth agreed, already a few miles to the south of them.

_Seth… please? _Jacob sighed mentally.

_Right. Sorry._ He politely stopped paying attention, focusing all of his energy on searching for that familiar, sickly-sweet scent.

Leah's long, bushy tail swished impatiently. _I know, I know… It's not his fault. I was just being stupid._

Jacob let his back legs fall beneath him, so he sat on the soft, green forest floor. _Leah. If you and Seth really wanna stick around and help me with this, then you have to be honest with me. You can't be out here putting yourself in danger if you've got something else that's gonna be distracting you. That's how you get hurt… or worse. _

It was a moment before Leah responded. _Fine_.She thought, defeated. _You really wanna know what's bothering me? It's… well, Jake… it's __you_. She admitted, finally tearing down the barrier she had created in her mind, trapping her feelings inside.

_Me__? _Jacob was incredulous. _What did I do?!_

_Nothing!_ Leah insisted. _Well… nothing you could help, at least._ With a heavy sigh, she began to explain herself.

When Leah first joined Jacob's pack nearly four years before, she experienced a sort of peace she hadn't felt in ages. She was finally free of Sam and the pain it caused her to be near him. But, more importantly, she had finally found someone who could truly understand what she was feeling. Who shared the pain of knowing that the one you love will never feel the same, no matter how hard you fight for them.

But everything changed for her the moment her friend imprinted. Jacob no longer pined for someone who did not reciprocate his feelings. He was happier than she had ever seen him – happier, she knew, than she herself would ever be. She fought as hard as she could to suppress her jealousy, to feel happy for him... but it was no use. When Jacob and Nessie left, she was forced to rejoin Sam's pack, and her bitterness and jealousy continued to grow.

Things were better once Quil took over… _much_ better. She was able to feel a bit of happiness again, to feel normal. But every time she saw Sam, all her old feelings would come rushing back to her. Try as she might, the happiness would never last. And now that she was back with Jacob again, listening to him talk about his undying love for Nessie, seeing his memories of her flash through his mind… that same bitter jealousy had returned, stronger than ever. Leah would anything to have the old Jacob back – the one person who really understood her feelings more than anyone else ever could. But she never would. She was, once again, alone.

Jacob wasn't quite sure what to think. _Leah, I – _

_Please, just… try to understand_. Leah turned her face down toward the forest floor. _It's not your fault, I know… I just wish there was someone there who could understand what it's like for me. I – I've never really felt so alone, you know?_

Jacob stood and padded forward, gently lifting her chin with his nose. The gray wolf whined softly.

_I remember what it was like, Leah. It's been a long time, but… the memories never really fade._

Leah shook her head. _It's not like there's anything you can do about it anyway… It's my own fault, really. _She turned away from him. _God, I'm so pathetic!_

Her friend followed, concerned. _What is it?_

_Things between me and Sam are… rough, to say the least._ She let out a tiny muffled bark that Jacob recognized as a laugh. _I really messed up at his wedding, Jake… I made everything worse. _

_What happened?_

Leah breathed deeply. _I guess it would be easier I just __showed__ you instead of trying to explain…_ She closed her eyes, allowing her mind to travel through time, back to that cool spring night a little over a year before.

_Leah sighed heavily as she absentmindedly rolled the crumbs of uneaten wedding cake around her plate. She sat alone at the long white table; many of the guests had already gone home for the night, and most who remained mingled together out on the dance floor, enjoying the cool night air that blew lightly into the open canopy_

_A new song had just begun to play over the loudspeakers. She began humming softly to herself, but stopped suddenly when a large, warm hand came to rest on her shoulder. Leah turned, expecting it to be her brother, but was instead met by the groom's softly smiling face._

"_Would you like to dance?" Sam's voice was almost a whisper._

_Leah found herself unable to speak and merely stared at him, incredulous. There was no way that she had heard him correctly. After several moments, she finally found her voice. "W-what?" _

_The smile had slowly faded from Sam's face. "Please." His voice was almost pleading._

_Leah's gaze traveled across the room toward the far corner where Emily stood, talking animatedly with Rachel and Kim. It almost pained Leah to look at her, glowing with a pure happiness that she once believed could have been hers. She glanced at Sam briefly and, with a heavy sigh, lifted herself from her chair._

_He led her far away from the other wedding guests to the very edge of the dance floor. A few more feet to the left, and they would be standing beneath the open night sky. Leah eyed him for a moment, unsure. Then, without any hesitation, Sam placed one hand at her waist and gently grasped one of her hands with his other. Leah's heart gave an unconscious reaction the moment his hand touched hers. She could hardly remember the last time he had touched her in such a way. And she didn't want to. _

_Leah stared down at her feet as she danced, waiting for him to say something. It was several moments before he did. Finally, she heard him take a slow, deep breath._

_"Leah… you haven't said a word to me all day. You've barely even _looked_ at me." Sam shook his head, the pain apparent in his eyes. "Please, Leah, I – "_

_"What do you want me to say?" Leah sighed in frustration. She had been expecting something like this. "I'm happy for you… for both of you. You know that. It's just… hard for me." She stared down at the floor, embarrassed._

_Sam nodded. "I know, and that's the problem. You're happy for __us__, but __you're__ not happy."_

_A sad smile came to her lips. "Yeah, well… I'm not exactly a happy person anyway, Sam." She shrugged._

_"You used to be." He whispered, locking his eyes with hers._

_Leah could not suppress the sudden flood of emotion at the memories which flashed before her eyes. Memories of what seemed to her like another lifetime. It was a moment before she could respond. "Things change." She said simply. "You know that." She waited for him to speak, but he said nothing. "Maybe some people just aren't meant to be happy." She shrugged her shoulders a second time._

_To her surprise, Sam looked as though he wanted to laugh. "You're starting to sound like Jacob used to…"_

_Leah smiled softly. "Hmm… Well, we're kind of kindred spirits, me and Jake. Or, at least, we used to be." The smile faded from her face just as quickly as it came._

_"It's not the same." Sam's voice was almost pleading. "You know I never had a choice."_

_Leah took a deep breath, considering her next words carefully. "I know, but… what if you did?" She asked, her eyes flashing, for a moment, toward the bride. _

_Sam was silent and merely stared at her, his eyebrows pulling together slightly._

_The song which had been playing came to an end, and Leah noted for the first time that they had stopped moving, although they still held one another. A new song had begun. Leah recognized it the moment she heard the soft, beautiful piano melody begin to play. It had been years since she'd heard it, but the memory of what that song used to mean to her, to both of them, was still fresh in her mind._

_"Well?" Leah whispered, still waiting for his response. "What if you __did__ have a choice?" She asked again. "What if we were just normal people… no phasing, no imprinting… nothing. Would you still have left? Would you choose her over me?" Her voice had become so soft, Leah wondered if he had even heard her._

_"That's not fair, Leah." Sam muttered weakly. "You can't just – "_

_"I need to know." She insisted, fearing his answer._

_Sam closed his eyes as he spoke. "I – I don't know." He breathed._

_And she knew it was the truth._

_Leah dropped her arms, stepping away from him. "I should go."_

_"No." Sam reached for her hand, but thought better of it when he saw the look on her face. "I don't know what to say, Leah. I'm sorry. More than you'll ever know. God, I must have told you a hundred times!" He held his face in his hands for a moment and breathed deeply. "It's… It's just that…" His voice trailed off and he glanced toward the floor._

_Leah's voice was harsh. "What?"_

_She noticed that several of the wedding guests, including her brother, were now glancing in their direction. But she didn't care._

_Sam took another deep breath. "It's been more than four years since you and I…" He cleared his throat. "I thought that – "_

_"Whatever you thought, you were wrong." She muttered coldly. Leah knew exactly what he thought. But despite the old saying, there were some wounds that time could never heal. "It's getting late. I really should get home." She turned away from him. "Congratulations." She whispered._

_Sam stepped toward her. "Lee-Lee, don't do this! Please."_

_"Don't call me that." Leah did not turn around as she spoke. "Goodbye, Sam."_

_She barely made it to the edge of the forest before her grief and bitterness took over. Leah vanished into the trees on four legs, the ragged shreds of her satin bridesmaid dress trailing behind her._

Jacob stared at the ground, the memory of Leah's despair washing over him as forcefully as if he had felt it himself.

A tiny sigh broke the silence. _I don't know what came over me. How could I ask him something like that?_

_Have you tried talking to him about it?_ Jacob asked, already knowing the answer.

_I've barely spoken to him at all since then. And that was more than a year ago._ Leah paused. _Whenever I see him, I get this feeling that there's something he wants to say to me… like there's something on the tip of his tongue. But I think he's scared... And, to be honest, so am I._

Jacob shook his head. _Leah, if you're – _

_I already know what you're thinking. And we've had this discussion before._ Leah was firm. _It's obvious now that imprinting isn't the exception, it's the rule. All of you used to think that there were no female werewolves… and I'm obviously the exception to __that__ rule. Why should this be any different?_

Jacob was growing weary of having this discussion again and again. Why was she so pessimistic? _Leah, you __can't__ know that. _He sighed heavily. _Look, if you're that certain, then why don't you just… _

Leah could already see the thought forming in his mind, but waited for him to continue.

_Look, _Jacob began again. _Let's face it, Leah… _He hesitated. _You're gorgeous. _It was awkward to say, but true nonetheless. _We all know how much the guys around the Res stare at you. Why don't you just… _

Leah stepped away from him. _I'm not ready for that, Jake._

_Yeah, and at this rate you never will be!_ Jacob's patience was wearing thin.

_You're right!_ She agreed._ I'm never going to be ready, because I'd never make someone else suffer what I went through with Sam._

Jacob searched Leah's mind, trying to understand what she meant. It only took a moment to see. _Oh. _He thought simply.

Leah nodded her large head. _If I'm wrong about this whole imprinting thing…_ She stared back toward the forest floor, defeated. There was no way she could win.

_I give up._ Jacob thought finally. _If you're going to be like that, then I guess you __will__ be alone forever._

The gray wolf shrugged her shoulders. _I guess that's just how things are meant to be._

Jacob was about to reply when Seth's frantic thoughts flooded his mind.

_Hate to break up the pity-party, you guys_, he thought desperately. _But I think I found something._

Jacob could see it in his friend's mind. The unmistakable scent of a vampire, many miles to the south. Weak, probably a day or so old, leading off on a trail toward the west. There were five at least, probably more. As expected, they left no visible trace behind them, just a trail of their sickly sweet smell.

A shudder of mingled fear and excitement ran down Jacob's spine. His plan had worked after all; they had found the Volturi before the Volturi found them.

_A/N: Woah. That took a LONG time to write. Hahahaha. I was so tempted to keep going, but I forced myself to stop. I think that chapter was the longest one yet. I hope you enjoyed it! Leah is such a tortured character, but I really love writing about her! I realize that the chapter may have felt out-of-place in the story, but I feel that it was necessary for the development of this story's sequel. Please R&R!_


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